PRESENTED  TO  THE  LIBRARY 


OF 


PRINCETON  THEOLOGICAL  SEMINHRY 


BY 


MPS.   Rleii^andeP  Pfoudfit. 

BV  813  .A3  A32  1836 

Adams,  Nehemiah,  1806-1878. 

The  baptized  child 


THE  BAPTIZED  CHILD. 


THE 


BAPTIZED   CHILD. 


/ 

BY    NEHEMIAH    ADAMS 

Pastor  of  Essex  Street  Church,  Boston. 


BOSTON: 

PUBLISHED   BY    WILLIAM    PEIRCE 
1836. 


Entered  according  to  Act  of  Congress,  in  the  year  1836,  by 

WILLIAM    PEFRCE, 
in  tlie  Clerk's  Office  of  the  District  Court  of  Massachusetts, 


D.  K.  Hitchcock, 
9  Cornhill. 


THIS     BOOK 


AFFECTIONATELY    DEDICATED 


^(^iitiXat    ^$$i^(;UUm 


[l©©g^  ©TKHIg'i?  ©KJtiDB^IKl. 


BOSTON, 


BY     THEIR 


s*^^i;g<s>^a 


PREFACE. 


It  is  not  the  object  of  this  book  to  exalt  a  rite  above  its  proper 
place  as  a  means  of  religious  benefit,  into  a  test  of  Christian  character, 
or  a  reason  for  schism.  Its  object  is  to  shew  that  the  practice  of 
Infant  Baptism  is  fitted  to  promote  parental  faithfulness  and  the 
early  sanctification  of  children.  The  motive  in  preparing  it,  is,  to 
assist  those  who  practise  the  rite  to  do  it  with  a  full  sense  of  its 
meaning  and  importance,  and  to  see  the  beauty  and  use  of  the 
ordinance.  The  title  of  the  book  might  be,  in  part.  The  Inter- 
nal Evidences  of  Infant  Baptism  as  a  reasonable  and 
scriptural  practice.  The  mode  of  Baptism  is  fully  considered,  for 
the  purpose  of  showing  the  validity  of  sprinkling  in  Baptism. 

It  is  not  the  object  of  this  book  to  promote  a  sectarian  observance 
of  rites  and  forms.  The  wall  of  separation  already  made  by  them, 
between  different  denominations  of  Christians,  is,  in  one  sense,  '  so 
hiffh  that  it  is  dreadful.'  The  forms  that  characterize  the  various 
sects  of  true  Christians,  and  even  the  differences  in  their  doctrinal 
belief,  may  remain  to  the  end  of  time  ;  but  when  the  full  power  of 
Christianity  is  known,  the  manifestation  of  it  will  appear  in  the 
triumph  of  Christian  love  amongst  the  followers  of  Christ  :  and 


Vlll  PREFACE. 

Sprinkling,  and  Immersion,  and  Infant  Baptism,  the  Right  of  Ordina- 
tion, and  the  Liturgy,  or  Election  and  Perseverance,  will  be  no 
greater  hindrance  to  Christians,  in  their  affection  for  each  other  and 
in  their  union  to  convert  the  world,  than  the  different  costumes 
adopted  and  worn  by  the  different  companies  in  a  Fire  Department 
should  prevent  their  co-operation  to  put  out  a  fire.  All  these  things 
will  be  subordinated  to  the  love  of  Christ,  and  of  one  another,  because 
Christians  will  have  learnt  the  spiritual  nature  of  Christianity  ;  and 
looking  upon  their  own  denomination  and  upon  others,  the  words  of 
Christ  will  be  felt  in  their  sublime  and  beautiful  truth  :  "  TVoman  I 
believe  me,  the  hour  cometh  when  ye  shall  neither  in  this  moun- 
tain, nor  in  Jerusalem,  worship  the  Father.  But  the  hour  cometh 
and  now  is,  when  the  true  worshippers  shall  worship  the  Father 
in  spirit  and  in  truth  ;  for  the  Father  seeketh  such  to  worship  him." 

Then  the  world  will  feel  that  greatest  proof  of  the  divine  origin  of 
Christianity,  The  union  of  Christians  in  spite  of  the  diversity  in 
their  forms  and  creeds.  In  view  of  past  alienation  and  strife,  that 
union  will  appear  the  greatest  instance  of  the  presence  and  power  of 
God  on  earth  since  the  days  of  miracles  ;  and  therefore,  Christ,  in 
prophetic  prayer,  looked  to  this  consummation  as  the  triumph  of  his 
cause:  — "  That  they  all  may  be  one;  that  the  world  may 
believe  that  Thou  hast  sent  we." 

But  the  surrender  of  rites,  forms,  and  peculiarities  of  religious 
belief,  and  the  composition  of  one  Church  out  of  the  various  denom- 
uations,  would  not  be  so  great  an  illustration  of  the  power  of  Chris- 
tianity, as  that  the  various  denominations  now  existing  should  remain, 
but  make  their  peculiarities  secondary  to  Chirstian  union  and  effort. 
The  former  might  be  effected  by  human  policy,  ambition,  or  the 
influence  of  some  powerful  but  sinful  motive  stronger  than  the  love  of 
sect.  The  latter  can  be  done  only  by  the  Holy  Ghost  sent  down 
from  Heaven. 


PREFACE.  IX 

The  preference  of  different  orders  and  forms  of  worship  grow  out 
of  a  diversity  in  the  human  mind  ;  and  though  the  enlightening  influ- 
ence of  Christianity  will  prevent  schism  and  separation  hereafter,  it 
is  to  be  expected  that  different  minds  will  continue  to  prefer  different 
modes  and  customs  in  religion.  But  these  things  will  be  sunk  into 
mere  matters  of  taste  ant^  form,  and  all  that  hold  the  essential  doc- 
trines of  the  Gospel,  will  show  the  earnest  of  Heaven  in  their  feelings 
and  conduct  towards  one  another.  The  true  church  will  then  appear 
to  consist  of  such  as  the  Father  seeks  to  worship  Him,  confined  to  no 
one  Christian  sect,  but  representing,  by  its  diffusion  amongst  many, 
and  at  the  same  time  its  spiritual  union,  the  society  of  Heaven  made 
up  from  every  kindred  and  tongue  and  people. 

Who  does  not  believe  that  such  a  day  will  come  ?  What  Chris- 
tian heart  does  not  leap  at  the  sound  of  its  coming  ?  As  the  heart 
panteth  for  the  water  brooks,  what  follower  of  Christ,  in  this  world  of 
alienation  and  strife,  does  not  pant  for  such  a  day  ?  Is  it  probable 
that  God  will  suffer  the  dissensions  of  Christendom  to  be  transferred 
into  the  rising  communities  of  Christians  in  heathen  lands,  and  our 
disputes  and  the  scenes  of  our  disagreement  to  be  acted  over  again  ? 
Forbid  it.  Spirit  of  all  Grace  !  Let  centuries  of  time  and  generations 
of  men  no  more  be  lost,  because  the  Christian  church  cannot  agree 
that  immersion  is  or  is  not  the  only  scriptural  mode  of  Baptism,  or 
whether  the  right  of  ordination  has  descended  in  one  line  only  from 
Christ,  or  whether  saints  are  elected,  and  will  persevere  !  Sad 
profanation  of  the  Christian  name  and  spirit  !  To  Christ  and  angels 
we  know  not  which  is  the  more  revolting  sight,  the  rites  and  prac- 
tices of  heathenism,  or  the  practices  of  a  divided,  wrangling 
Christendom. 

We  must  agree  to  differ.  It  is  impossible  for  any  sect,  by  direct 
effort,  to  bring  others  into  conformity  with  it.  The  greater  the 
effort,  the  greater  will  be  the  repulsion.      But  if  all  denominations 


X  PREFACE. 

should  make  it  appear  that  they  regard  their  peculiarities  of  forms 
and  order  as  mere  accidents  and  not  essentials,  and  forbear  to  urge 
them  to  the  prevention  of  union  with  true  Christians  of  every 
name,  and  show  the  spirit  of  Christian  love  and  fellowship  rising 
superiour  to  what  is  not  of  vital  consequence  in  religion,  it  is  not  im- 
possible that  a  strong  tendency  towards  union  of  spirit  which  would 
then  begin  to  prevail,  would  seek  for  union  in  outward  form,  and 
several  of  the  great  sects  in  Christendom  might  unite  in  one  church. 
If  it  be  asked,  Which  of  the  present  denominations  would  be  most 
likely  to  receive  and  include  the  oihers  ?  the  answer  might  be.  That 
which  should  be  the  first  to  manifest  the  spirit  which  has  now  been 
described. 

It  does  not  seem  probable  that  such  a  union  of  sects  will  ever 
take  place  ;  but  if  it  does,  no  arguing  about  rites  and  forms,  no  legis- 
lation, in  short,  no  direct  attempts  to  produce  conformity  will  effect 
it.  This  experiment  has  failed.  The  result  will  be  accomplished, 
we  believe,  by  each  sect  throwing  down  its  wall,  —  not  to  enlarge 
its  borders,  but  —  because  it  cannot  longer  bear  to  be  separate  from 
the  children  of  God.  The  union  in  feeling  and  spirit  that  would 
lead  to  this,  would  regard  all  differences  in  forms  as  unessential, 
and  either  permit  them  to  remain,  as  we  believe  they  would,  or,  by 
a  stronger  attraction  in  one  denomination  than  in  the  others,  unite  all 
under  one  name. 

It  is  by  no  means  certain,  that  we  do  not  need  peculiarities, 
of  form,  or  service,  or  denomination,  to  make  us  labour  with  more 
interest  within  a  certain  sphere,  and  to  prevent  that  loss  of  strength 
which  a  diffusion  of  interest  and  labour,  however  pleasant  in  itself 
it  might  be,  would  occasion.  We  know  that  such  restricted  interest 
and  zeal  is  essential  to  success  in  secular  arts  and  labours.  And 
moreover,  it  does  appear  that  some  men  are,  by  nature,  Dissenters 
from  all  religious  forms  but  those  that  are  perfectly  plain  ;  and  some 


PREFACE.  XI 

are  born  Episcopalians,  and  some  will  be  Baptists,  and  others 
Methodists  ;  and  either  of  these,  out  of  their  own  forms  and  practices, 
can  no  more  be  free  and  happy,  than  birds  of  diflerent  instincts  can 
be  so  when  those  instincts  are  not  gratified.  Some  think  that  the 
dislike  which  a  Congregationalist  may  have  to  Episcopacy,  is  sec- 
tarianism, in  a  bad  sense  of  that  word.  Wrong  feelings  may 
indeed  attend  such  dislike  ;  but  we  believe  that  the  first  cause  of  it 
is,  in  general,  a  natural,  innocent  diversity  of  taste.  We  have  no 
doubt  that  some  are  better  Christians  for  being  Methodists,  and  some 
for  being  Congregationalists,  and  others  as  Episcopalians,  others  as 
Baptists. 

Now,  why  may  we  not  all  be  willing  that  others  should  enjoy 
their  own  religious  attachments,  and  we  esteem  and  love  them  in 
proportion  as  we  see  in  them  the  spirit  of  Christ  ? 

Have  we  not  tried  the  experiment  long  enough  of  seeking  to  bring 
others  into  conformity  with  ourselves  ?  What  wars  and  fightings 
have  been  the  consequence  !  When  we  look  at  the  theological 
department  of  a  large  library,  and  see  what  volumes  of  controversy 
have  been  written  by  each  denomination  against  others,  and  in  self- 
defence,  we  are  reminded  of  a  hall  in  a  baronial  castle,  where 
spears.,  habergeons,  helmets,  lances,  and  the  battle-axe  frown  along 
the  walls.  Their  banner  is  feudal,  and  so  are  many  of  their  sa- 
cred songs,  and  the  warlike  motto  of  the  Pilgrim  Commonwealth, 
JEnse  petit  placidam,  sub  libertate,  quietem,  seems  to  be  held  out, 
sword  in  hand,  towards  other  denominations. 

Shall  the  morning  of  the  Millenium  break  upon  the  church  and 
find  the  different  divisions  of  her  hosts  embattled  against  each  other  ? 
We  cannot  hesitate  for  an  answer.  The  time  will  come,  when 
each  denomination  of  Christians  will  freely  commune  with  and  love 
all  others,  without  requiring  conformity  to  their  own  modes  and 
practices,  so  long  as  they  see  in  the  life  and  conduct  the  spirit  of  tru3 
religion. 


Xll  PREFACE. 

We  are  persuaded  of  the  coming  of  this  day.  But  any  associa- 
tion or  combination  to  promote  this  union,  would  only  create  another 
sect,  and  prolong  the  war  by  making  men  fight  for  peace.  That 
feverish  restlessness  for  a  visible  union  of  Christian  sects,  which 
some  now  manifest,  is,  we  fear,  only  a  new  form  of  fanaticism. 
This  union  must  begin  in  the  soul  of  every  follower  of  Christ,  in  the 
private  cultivation  of  the  Christian  spirit,  and  in  a  growing  knowledge 
of  Christ's  religion.  It  cometh  not  with  observation.  The  work 
of  preparation  for  it  must  be  done  in  secret,  when  suddenly  a  glori- 
ous temple  will  arise,  and  God  will  enter  it,  with  the  ark  of  his 
strength. 

Will  it  assist  this  consummation,  the  reader  says,  to  publish  a 
book  on  Infant  Baptism  ?  Ought  you  not  to  sacrifice  your  attach- 
ment to  this  ordinance,  to  the  cause  of  Christian  union  ?  —  The 
answer  is.  It  would  be  bigotry  in  us  to  say  to  Baptists,  or  Episcopa- 
lians, or  Methodists,  we  will  love  you  and  join  in  your  plans  if  you 
will  accord  with  us  in  rites  and  forms.  No.  We  expect  to  love 
and  honour  them  while  they  retain  every  peculiarity  which  is 
no  bar  to  Christian  communion.  Let  them  make  no  sacrifice  of 
attachment  to  forms  or  tenets,  but,  even  with  a  Christian  spirit,  try 
to  convince  others  of  their  scriptural  origin  and  superiour  practical 
influence  ;  at  the  same  time  holding  this  doctrine  in  common  with 
us,  That  he  who  has  the  spirit  of  Christ,  let  his  costume  be  what  it 
may,  is  a  friend  and  brother.  Then,  if  their  peculiar  modes  and 
forms  assist  their  piety  and  devotion,  it  will  be  little  else  than  bar- 
barism in  us  to  mock  at  them  or  seek  to  draw  them  away  from  their 
attachments. 

It  is  dishonorable  to  the  religion  of  Christ  to  suppose  that  there 
can  be  no  union  amongst  Christians  but  by  truces,  and  compromises, 
and  the  diplomatic  arrangements  of  quarrelling  nations  or  men.  It 
is  inconsistent  with  Christian  liberty  to  demand  numerical  unity  in 


PREFACE.  Xiii 

Christian  sects  ;  and  we  probably  mistake  the  nature  of  man,  if  we 
think  that  one  order  or  form  of  worship  can  suit  all  men.  We 
rejoice  in  this  diversity  in  unessential  things,  so  far  as  it  meets  the 
various  dispositions  and  tastes  of  the  human  mind  ;  it  is  only  in 
spirit  that  we  should  be  anxious  for  others  to  be  one  with  us.  An 
attempt  at  any  other  union  would  be  unnatural  and  forced. 

In  the  exercise  of  the  same  spirit  which  we  would  desire  that 
others  should  exercise  towards  us,  I  have  written  this  book  concerning 
a  practice  which  is  most  precious  to  thousands  of  the  followers  of 
Christ,  for  its  influence  on  them  and  their  children.  But  as  this 
practice  and  the  mode  of  Baptism  have  made  great  dissension  and 
strife  among  Christians,  it  seemed  proper  to  speak  of  the  nature  and 
duty  of  Christian  union  in  connection  with  a  new  publication  on  this 
subject ;   so  that  all  might  understand  two  things  : 

1.  That  we  do  not  intend  to  abandon  Infant  Baptism  in  order  to 
a  union  of  Christian  sects. 

2.  That,  at  the  same  time,  we  regard  this  practice  as  no  bar  to 
fellowship  with  those  who  reject  it,  and  consider  it  only  as  a  means 
of  spiritual  good  and  not  a  condition  of  salvation,  nor  a  test  of  Chris- 
tian character. 

If  all  denominations  of  true  Christians  will  say  these  two  things 
of  each  of  their  rites  and  forms,  give  and  receive  full  liberty  of 
conscience  in  interpreting  the  Bible,  make  nothing  essential  to 
Christian  communion  on  earth  which  will  not  be  recognized  in 
Heaven,  and  triumph  over  names,  and  ceremonies,  and  the  letter  of 
the  word,  in  their  zeal  to  maintain  and  spread  abroad  the  essential 
truth,  then  we  shall  all  be  one  —  as  Thou,  Father,  art 
IN  Christ,  and  Christ  in  Thee  ! 

But  the  spirit  of  Christianity  is  yet  like  a  beautiful  captive  in 
bonds.      Many  sects  m  Christendom  have  laid  their  chain  upon  her. 
But  her  day  of  liberty  is  near.     Rising  in  the  view  of  men,  and 
2 


XIV  PREFACE. 

holding  forth  her  fallen  chains,  she  will  appear  invested  with  spiritual 
and  celestial  beauty,  and  as  each  invokes  and  claims  her  as  his  own, 
she  will  spread  herself  abroad  in  heavenly  light,  and  surveying  the 
people  of  the  Lord  under  their  various  names  and  forms,  will  bless 
them  and  cry,  Above  all,  and  through  all,  and  m  you  all.  The 
Lord  hasten  this  in  His  time.  Spirit  of  Christ  !  escape  from  our 
chains.  We  hereby  take  from  off  thy  heavenly  nature  the  bond  of  a 
sectarian  Baptism,  and  bid  Thee  hold  communion  with  all  of  every 
name  who  differ  in  rites  and  forms  from  us,  but  with  us  hold  the 
essential  grounds  of  a  sinner's  Hope  ! 


CONTENTS. 


CHAPTER    I. 

Birth  of  a  child.  Greatness  of  the  event.  Feelings  and  conduct 
of  a  pious  parent.  The  parents  and  child  in  eternity.  Honour 
of  being  a  parent.      Future  joy  of  a  pious  mother.      ...      17 


CHAPTER    II. 

Proportion  of  deaths  in  infancy.  Salvation  of  infants.  Multitudes 
in  Heaven  who  died  in  infancy.  Human  infancy  interesting  to 
superiour  beings.  '  Of  such  is  the  kingdom  of  God.'  Destruction 
of  heathen  Infants,  an  illustration  of  good  brought  out  of  evil. 
Destruction  of  infants  with  wicked  parents  not  inconsistent  with 
divine  goodness.  Infants  slain  by  Herod.  Their  honour  and  hap- 
piness in  being  identified  with  the  Saviour's  incarnation.  Future 
joy  of  pious  parents  who  lost  a  young  child.  Meeting  in  Heaven. 
Appeal  to  those  not  pious,  who  have  lost  children.  Present 
feelings  of  the  departed  children  towards  surviving  parents. 
Future  meeting  or  separation 20 


CHAPTER    III. 

Presentation  of  an  infant  for  Baptism.  Thoughts  at  the  sight. 
Feelings  at  an  infant's  cry  in  the  House  of  God.  Benevolent 
nature  of  Christianity  illustrated  in  an  infant's  baptism.  Contrast 
in  this  respect  of  Christianity  and  heathenism.  A  child  baptized 
at  a  heathen  river.  Interest  of  the  scene  to  the  souls  of  those  who 
perished  there  by  violence.      Beauty  and  power  of  Infant  Baptism 


XVI  CONTENTS. 

in  heathen  lands.  Baptism  of  infants  in  a  Christian  temple. 
A  congregation  praying  for  a  child.  Effect  on  the  parents. 
The  rite  performed 28 


CHAPTER    IV. 

Meaning  of  the  Ordinance.  Object  of  rites.  The  two  Christian 
rites.  Use  of  water  in  Baptism.  Meaning  of  the  form  of  Bap- 
tism. Taking  possession  of  a  new  land  in  the  name  of  a  king. 
What  is  implied  on  the  part  of  the  parents?  What  is  implied 
on  the  part  of  God  ?  Abrahamic  covenant  only  one  form  of  a 
great  and  general  principle.  Encom-agement  from  this  in  dedi- 
cating children.  Feelings  of  parents  in  retiring  from  Baptism. 
Baptism  of  a  household.  Limit  of  age  in  baptizing  children. 
The  refractory  child.  The  widow's  household,  or  infant.  Infant 
of  a  departed  pious  mother.   Inconsistency  of  romantic  names.  32 


CHAPTER    V. 

Principles  in  the  treatment  and  education  of  a  Baptized  child.  1. 
Frequent  renewal  of  the  consecration.  2.  Praying  with  a  child. 
Influence  of  it  on  a  child.  Mode  of  proceeding.  The  child's 
appearance  at  prayer.  Its  impressions  of  the  nature  of  the  act. 
Influence  of  prayer  before  a  child  in  correction  and  encourage- 
ment. John  Newton's  testimony  respecting  his  mother's  prayers. 
Duty  of  a  father  to  pray  with  his  child.  Interesting  sight. 
Effect  on  the  parent's  mind  and  feelings.  Influence  of  it  on  the 
child's  feelings  towards  its  father.  3.  The  child  taught  the 
meaning  of  its  Baptism.  Good  opportunity  when  the  child  has 
witnessed  a  Baptism.  God's  attention  to  the  young.  Moses,  in 
the  ark  by  the  JXile,  preserved  and  restored  to  his  mother.  Moses 
on  Sinai.  Connection  of  his  goodness  and  greatness,  with  God's 
notice  of  him  when  a  child.  Call  of  Samuel  in  the  Temple. 
God's  notice  of  children  at  their  Baptism.  Influence  of  these 
thoughts  upon  a  Baptized  child.  4.  Influence  of  Baptism  on  the 
parents  in  directing  the  child.  Maternal  associations.  General 
influence  of  a  sincere  consecration  of  children  upon  parental 
conduct.      Inconsistent  conduct  of  many  parents.      Wrong  mo- 


CONTENTS.  XVU 

tives  in  Baptism.  Effects.  Parents  punished  in  their  children. 
Apostacy  of  children.  Appeal  to  the  parent  of  a  Baptized  child. 
Summary  view  of  motives  and  feelings  in  offering  a  child  for 
Baptism.  Annanias  and  Sapphira,  or  the  guilt  of  insincerity  in 
a  free-will  offering.      The  service  delightful  as  well  as  solemn.  40 


CHAPTER    VI. 

Benefits  of  Infant  Baptism.  Benefits  to  the  Parents. 
I.  Deep  impression  of  parental  obligations.  Use  of  a  public 
consecration.  Answer  to  an  objection.  Use  of  the  ordinance  of 
Baptism.  Objection  answered.  II.  Pleasure  and  satisfaction 
afforded  by  the  ordinance.  The  Baptism  a  new  bond  for  the 
parents  to  the  love  and  service  of  God.  Influence  of  the  Baptism 
upon  the  mind  in  thinking  of  the  future.  Death  of  the  parents 
while  the  child  is  young.  The  dying  scene.  Influence  of  the 
Baptism  on  the  mind  of  a  dying  parent.  Influence  of  it  upon  the 
parent  at  the  loss  of  a  child.  Reasons.  III.  Ground  of  religious 
appeal.  Trait  in  childhood  to  which  an  appeal  drawn  from  its 
Baptism  may  be  made.  God's  notice  of  it  when  an  infant. 
Prayers  of  a  Church  for  it. 

Benefits  to  the  child.  Objections  considered.  Investing 
property  for  an  infant.  Unconsciousness  of  a  benefit  no  objection 
to  it.  Right  of  parents  to  benefit  a  child  without  its  consent. 
I.  Baptism  of  a  child  properly  performed,  secures  to  the  child  the 
favour  of  God.  Simple  view  of  this  truth.  II.  Prayers  of  the 
Church.  Influence  of  these  prayers.  III.  Influence  of  Baptism 
on  the  child  by  its  influence  on  the  parents.  IV.  Thought  of  its 
Baptism  in  after  life,  a  ground  of  hope  and  prayer.  Testimony 
of  Matthew  Henry 55 


CHAPTER     VII. 

To  A  Baptized  Child.  God's  favour  in  infancy.  The  scene 
of  Baptism.  God's  notice  of  the  child.  The  Saviour's  feelings. 
His  recollections  of  his  own  infancy.  His  interest  in  the  dedica- 
tion of  an  infant.  His  thoughts  at  the  sight.  The  prayer. 
God  remembers  the  Baptism.      His  feelings  towards  the  baptized 


XVm  CONTENTS. 

child.  His  wishes  for  its  welfare.  Kindness  of  God  to  the 
child.  The  child  must  have  confidence  in  God's  feelings  towards 
it.  God  regards  the  baptized  child  as  His  own.  His  rejection 
of  it,  if  it  will  not  love  and  serve  Him. 
To  A  Baptized  Youth.  God's  favour  in  infancy.  The  piety 
of  the  youth  supposed.  Duty  of  a  Baptized  pious  youth.  God's 
interview  with  Solomon.  Observance  of  the  Anniversary  of 
Baptism.  An  impenitent  baptized  youth.  Expostulation. 
Death  of  one  or  both  of  the  youth's  parents.  Thoughts  and 
feelings  of  the  parent  in  Heaven.  Meeting  of  an  impenitent 
baptized  youth  and  the  glorified  parent.  Address  of  the  parent. 
The  farewell.  Contrast  to  such  experience  upon  repentance. 
Appeal  to  the  youth  whose  parents  are  living.  A  pious  youth  at 
his  parent's  dying  bed.  Parents  at  the  dying  bed  of  a  pious  child. 
Meeting  of  a  pious  child  with  his  parents  in  Heaven  after  a  life  of 
usefulness.  Form  of  consecration.  Appeal  to  one  who  has 
renounced  his  parents'  faith 67 


CHAPTER    VIII. 

Words  to  a  Husband,  who  has  offered  his  child  on  the  ground 
of  the  mother's  faith.  Evidence  of  kind  foeling  on  his  part. 
Feelings  of  a  minister  and  of  Christians  towards  him.  Present 
difl^erence  between  the  parents  may  be  eternal.  Consequences. 
The  mother  and  child  in  Heaven.  The  father  lost.  His 
recollections  of  home.  Appeal  to  him  from  God's  goodness  in 
giving  him  a  child.  Obligation  and  inducement  to  consecrate 
himself  to  God. 

Refusal  of  a  husband  to  have  his  child  baptized.  Unfavorable 
influence  on  his  character.  Eflects  of  the  opposite  conduct. 
Cases  of  the  first  kind.  Consequence  of  injudicious  marriage. 
Duty  of  the  wife  and  friends  in  the  case.  Discipline  of  the 
mother  in  faith  and  prayer.  Wives  of  impenitent  husbands. 
Influence  of  either  upon  the  other  a  decided  one.  The  wife's 
danger  and  duty. 

A  household  without  religion.  An  infant  placed  there.  Meditations 
upon  such  a  house.  The  parents  poor.  Life  not  the  only  season 
of  trouble  and  sorrow  to   the   impenitent.     Appeal   from  their 


CONTENTS.  XIX 

children.  Feelings  of  children  in  eternity  towards  irreligious 
parents.  The  dwelling  of  the  rich.  Children  and  other  blessings. 
Susceptibilities  to  pleasure.  Prospect  beyond  the  grave.  The 
whole  family  in  hell.  The  whole  family  in  Heaven.  Fearful 
responsibility  of  impenitent  parents.  Dedication  of  themselves 
and  children  urged 82 


CHAPTER    IX. 

Restriction  of  Infant  Baptism  to  the  children  of  believers. 
I.  The  ancient  privilege  of  believers.  The  sign  of  the  covenant 
with  them.  Illustration.  The  rainbow.  No  reason  why 
either  should  cease.  II.  Inconsistency  of  one  who  is  not  a 
Christian  offering  a  child  to  God.  Principle  of  divine  govern- 
ment. Importance  of  a  visible  distinction  between  the  church 
and  the  world.      Answers  to  objections. 

On  being  re-baptized.  Its  impropriety  shown,  from  the 
meaning  of  Baptism.  Cases  of  adult  Baptism  by  the  apostles, 
and  the  Baptism  of  Christ  not  in  point.  Baptism  not  a  profession 
of  religion.  Right  view  of  this  matter,  and  an  argument  from  it. 
To  be  re-baptized  is  to  renounce  the  previous  Baptism.  Solemn 
and  responsible  act 91 


CHAPTER    X. 

The  mode  of  Baptism.  Sprinkling  is  valid  Baptism.  Ex- 
amination of  cases  in  the  New  Testament.  I.  Saul  of  Tarsus. 
II.  The  Jailer  of  Philippi,  and  his  house.  III.  The  Eunuch. 
IV.  John's  Baptism.  Baptism  of  Christ.  V.  The  three  thousand 
at  Pentecost ,     .      .      •     99 


CHAPTER    XI. 

Mode  of  Baptism,  continued.  'Buried  in  Baptism.'  No 
reference  in  the  expression  to  any  mode.  The  word  '  Baptize,' 
used  without  reference  to  a  mode.  Illustrations.  Lord's  Supper. 
Baptism  of  the  children  of  Israel.      Mode  of  Baptism  amongst 


XX  CONTENTS. 

the  earliest  Christians  uncertain.  Reasons  for  baptizing  only  by 
immersion.      Difference  of  opinion  on  the  mode  of  Baptism. 

The  mode  of  Baptism  not  prescribed  in  the  New  Testament. 
Illustration  in  this  of  the  nature  of  Christianity.  Further  illustra- 
tion in  the  Lord's  Supper.  Conformity  to  the  original  mode  of 
the  Supper.      Inferences. 

Reasons  for  preferring  Baptism  ey  affusion.  Conclu- 
sion of  the  subject. 

On  leaving  a  Church  to  be  re-baptized.      .      .      .     110 


CHAPTER    XII. 

The  authority  for  Infant  Baptism.  Objection  considered. 
Authority  for  Infant  Baptism  illustrated.  I.  By  family  prayer 
II.  Females  at  the  Lord's  Table.  III.  The  change  of  the 
Sabbath.      Inferences. 

Proof  from  THE  EARLY  Christian  Fathers.  I.  Augustine. 
II.  Cyprian  and  others.  III.  Pelagius.  IV.  Origen.  Remarks 
on  this  kind  of  evidence 123 


CHAPTER    XIII. 

Relation  of  baptized  children  to  the  church.  Dif- 
ference in  the  constitution  and  grounds  of  membership,  in  the 
Jewish  and  Christian  church.  Illustration  of  the  use  of  Baptism, 
and  its  intention.  Objection  to  Infant  Baptism,  that  unbaptized 
children  are  frequently  converted. 

Influence  of  a  right  observance  of  this  practice  in 
THE  conversion  OF  THE  WORLD.  Pious  parental  influence 
the  great  means  of  strengthening  and  increasing  the  church. 
The  family,  considered  as  a  means  of  spiritual  good.  Appeal 
to  parents.      Conclusion.      Future    scenes    in  parental 

AND  FILIAL  RELATIONS 133 


CHAPTER    I. 

Birth  of  a  child.  Greatness  of  the  event.  Feelings  and  conduct 
of  a  pious  parent.  The  parents  and  child  in  eternity.  Honour 
of  being  a  parent.      Future  joy  of  a  pious  mother. 

The  birth  of  a  child  is  an  event  of  great  impor- 
tance, as  well  as  an  occasion  of  gratitude  and  joy. 
Life,  from  the  infinite  Source  of  Being,  is  begun 
in  a  spirit  which  is  to  outlive  the  sun  and  stars. 
Could  it  speak,  it  might  say  with  its  Maker,  from 
the  first  moment  of  its  existence,  Of  my  years 
there  is  no  end !  Follow  it  into  eternity,  think  of 
its  possible  experience  at  the  end  of  millions  of 
years,  see  it  then  looking  forward  with  great  sus- 
ceptibilities and  powers  ;  —  and  how  interesting 
the  moment  when  you,  its  father,  first  hang  over 
it,  with  mingled  smiles  and  tears  !  nay,  how  solemn 
is  that  hour,  for  then  it  becomes  immortal !  Over- 
whelmed with  the  thought  that  an  undying  spirit 
is  born,  and  committed  to  your  care,  you  cast 
yourself  with  it  at  the  feet  of  your  Maker,  beseech- 
ing Him  to  take  it  into  his  protection. 

Amidst  the  general  joy  that  fills  a  household  at 
3 


18  THE     BAPTIZED    CHILD. 

the  birth  of  a  child,  a  parent  who  thinks  at  all  of 
the  future,  cannot  but  be  thoughtful  and  solemn. 
He  stands  before  the  universe,  responsible  as  the 
parent  of  an  immortal  creature.  To  him,  in  the 
ages  of  eternity,  a  glorious  inhabitant  of  Heaven 
will  turn  and  say.  My  father !  and  he,  as  he  sees 
it  rising  in  happiness  and  honour,  will  say.  My  child  ! 
Or  else,  the  child  in  its  eternal  separation  from 
God,  will  think  of  its  parents  with  feelings  growing 
more  dreadful  with  its  increasing  guilt  and  pain. 
Your  child  will  hereafter  awaken  joy  and  praise  in 
your  heart  for  its  birth,  or,  if  you  spend  eternity 
without  it  in  Heaven,  or  with  it  in  hell,  you  will 
say.  Good  were  it  for  you  and  for  me  if  you  had 
never  been  born ! 

It  is  the  great  glory  of  God,  as  Creator,  that  He 

is  Father  of   Spirits.      Angels  and  other  spirits 

are    the   joy  and  crown    of  his  works.     It   is  an 

honour,  then,  in  itself  considered,    to    sustain   the 

relation  of  parent  to  an  immortal  creature  ;  and  they 

who  in  Heaven  behold  their  offspring  amongst  the 

spirits  of  the  just,  will  feel  that,  in  their  relation  as 

parents,  they  have  a  likeness  to  God  in  that  which 

to  Him  is  a  source  of  infinite  joy.     The  parental 

relation,  indeed,  begins  with  a  part  of   the    race 

in  sorrow.      But  not  as  the  offence   will  be  the 

free  gift :  for  she  that  was  first  in  the  transgression 

will  have  susceptibilities  to  happiness,  from  natural 

feelings  towards  offspring,  which  may  make  her 

first  in  the  bliss  of  Heaven. 


FUTURE  JOY  OF  A  PIOUS  MOTHER.       19 

Can  the  reader  think  of  a  more  perfect  image  of 
bhss  than  the  mother  of  a  glorified  spirit  ?  a  spirit, 
that  shall  have  turned  many  to  righteousness,  and 
will  forever  be  loved  and  honoured  by  Christ  and 
the  redeemed,  for  the  part  which  he  bore  on  earth, 
in  the  cause  of  human  salvation.  If  it  is  seen  that 
the  mother  gave  such  direction  to  the  opening 
mind  of  her  son  as  that  his  subsequent  usefulness 
can  be  traced  back  to  her  influence,  surely  there 
will  be  no  crown  in  Heaven  for  which  that  mother 
would  exchange  her  joy. 


CHAPTER    II. 

Proportion  of  deaths  in  infancy.  Salvation  of  infants.  Multitudes 
in  Heaven  who  died  in  infancy.  Human  infancy  interesting  to 
superior  beings.  '  Of  such  is  the  kingdom  of  God.'  Destruction 
of  heathen  Infants,  an  illustration  of  good  brought  out  of  evil. 
Destruction  of  infants  with  wicked  parents  not  inconsistent  with 
divine  goodness.  Infants  slain  by  Herod.  Their  honour  and  hap- 
piness in  being  identified  with  the  Saviour's  incarnation.  Future 
joy  of  pious  parents  who  lost  a  young  child.  Meeting  in  Heaven. 
Appeal  to  those  not  pious,  who  have  lost  children.  Present 
feelings  of  the  departed  children  towards  surviving  parents. 
Future  meeting  or  separation. 

The  proportion  of  deaths  in  infancy  is  estimated 
by  different  writers,  at  from  one-fifth  to  two-thirds 
of  the  whole  number  of  deaths  in  a  given  number 
of  years.  We  know  that  a  large  proportion  of  the 
race  die  in  infancy  and  childhood ;  but  the  exact 
relative  number  it  is  difficult  to  determine.  It  has 
been  stated,  that  one  half  of  all  that  are  born,  die 
within  three  years.  This  being  the  case  under  the 
common  operation  of  the  laws  of  mortality,  if  we 
add  the  destruction  of  infants  in  heathen  countries, 
the  proportion  of  the  race  that  die  in  infancy  and 
childhood  is  exceedingly  great. 


EARLY    DEATHS    OF    PIOUS    CHILDREN.  21 

I  need  not  argue  the  point  that  those  who  die 
in  infancy  are  saved.  It  is  a  point  upon  which  it 
becomes  us  to  speak  with  the  recollection  that  the 
Bible  makes  no  disclosures  respecting  it.  Yet  this 
may  be,  because  the  salvation  of  infants  is  a  matter 
of  obvious  reason  ;  in  which  case,  as  in  some  others, 
the  Bible  seems  to  pay  regard  to  our  common  sense, 
by  leaving  things  which  may  properly  be  inferred, 
to  be  deduced  from  the  general  principles  of  revela- 
tion. We  shall  have  occasion  to  apply  this  remark 
in  the  course  of  this  book. 

We  have  all  been  interested  and  affected  by  the 
fact  that  so  many  children  who  die,  present  such 
striking  forwardness  of  religious  vicAVS  and  feelings. 
I  know  that  the  whole  matter  of  mental  precocious- 
ness  is  attributable  to  disease  of  the  brain  ;  and  that 
thoughts  and  feelings  upon  religious  subjects  far 
beyond  the  age  of  the  child,  are  ascribed  to  the 
same  proximate  cause.  Yet,  who  can  say  that  the 
soul  did  not  first  affect  the  brain,  and  that  the 
forward  action  of  the  soul  is  not  owing  to  some 
uncommon  spiritual  action  upon  it,  as  the  petals  of 
one  flower  amongst  many  are  stimulated  excessively 
by  the  light  which,  by  seeming  accident,  plays  in 
too  profusely  upon  it,  and  its  premature  bloom 
brings  on  its  premature  fall  ?  A  child  is  a  great 
mystery  !  We  dwell  upon  its  depravity,  and  alas  ! 
how  early  the  blight  of  sin  is  found  amongst  the 
affecting  beauty  of  the  opening  mind !  Yet  we 
3* 


22  THE    BAPTIZED    CHILD. 

believe  that  the  early  sanctification  of  many  chil- 
dren, who,  as  we  have  suggested,  are  spiritualized 
too  highly  for  their  physical  natures,  may  be  owing 
to  the  love  which  Heaven  bears  them,  and  that 
their  death  is  only  the  necessary  effect  of  the 
rapid  advancement  of  the  soul,  and  analogous  to 
the  change  of  the  chrysalis  into  a  higher  form  of 
life.  While  we  observe  the  love  of  God  to  these 
children,  who  are  evidently  hastened  from  the 
winds  and  storms  of  this  world  to  Heaven,  it  indi- 
cates to  us  a  common  and  secret  favour  borne  to  all 
the  infant  race,  which  secures  eternal  life  to  them 
if  they  die. 

Assuming  the  fact  of  the  salvation  of  infants,  it 
will  follow,  that,  of  the  multitude  which  no  man 
can 'number  of  human  spirits  in  Heaven,  a  large 
proportion  went  there  in  infancy  or  early  childhood. 

How  interesting,  then,  to  God  and  angels,  is 
human  infancy  and  childhood !  since  from  those  in 
this  condition  of  life,  the  company  before  the  throne 
is  in  so  great  a  proportion  multiplied. 

May  not  Christ  have  had  in  mind  the  relation 
which  infants  thus  bear  to  the  society  of  Heaven, 
when  He  gave  as  a  reason  why  they  should  be 
brought  to  Him,  Of  such  is  the  kmgdom  of  God  ? 

Having  been  familiar  with  the  fact  of  the  in- 
crease of  that  society  to  so  great  an  extent,  by 
accessions  of  infant  souls,  is  it  strange  that,  when 
He  came  on  earth,  He  took  such  notice  of  infants 
and  young  children  ? 


THE     INFANT    MARTYRS.  23 

Many  interesting  reflections  arise  in  the  mind, 
in  connection  with  this  subject.  What  consola- 
tion does  it  afford  in  thinking  of  the  horrid  sacrifi- 
ces of  infants  in  heathen  countries,  where  hundreds 
of  thousands  perish  every  year  !  The  practice  of 
infant  sacrifice  has  probably  been  the  means  of 
saving  multitudes,  who,  had  they  lived  longer  on 
earth  might  have  perished  forever.  What  an  illus- 
tration of  the  truth,  that  God  will  bring  good  out  of 
evil ! 

Does  any  one  question  the  justice  or  goodness  of 
God  in  destroying  the  infants  of  the  old  world  with 
their  parents,  or  the  infants  of  the  cities  of  the 
plain,  or  those  who  in  all  ages  have  been  par- 
takers of  the  curse  of  Avar,  pestilence  and  famine  ? 
It  is  goodness  and  mercy  that  took  them  from  the 
world ;  —  mercy  to  them,  though  a  judgment  to 
others,  and  in  its  outward  appearance  a  terrible 
expression  of  God's  hatred  of  sin,  and  of  its  effects, 
which  involve  the  innocent  with  the  guilty.  But 
the  temporary  sufferings  of  the  infants  were  not 
worthy  to  be  compared  with  the  glory  which  was, 
and  is  now,  revealed  in  them  in  Heaven. 

One  of  the  most  painful  and  mysterious  dispen- 
sations of  God,  as  it  has  appeared  to  many,  is  the 
destruction  of  the  infants  by  Herod,  who  sent  forth 
and  slew  all  the  children  that  were  in  Bethlehem, 
and  in  all  the  coasts  thereof,  from  two  years  old 
and  under,  hoping  to  cut  off  the  infant  Jesus.  This 
must  have  been  a  terrific  and  distressing  slaughter ; 


24  THE    BAPTIZED    CHILD. 

though,  judging  from  the  probable  population  of 
those  places,  the  number  of  infants  was  not  so  great 
as  many  suppose.  But  still,  what  is  there  to  alle- 
viate the  feeling  of  horrour  that  rises  in  the  mind  at 
the  seeming  incongruity  of  the  slaughter  of  helpless 
children  with  the  nativity  of  the  Saviour  of  the 
world  ? 

This  view  of  the  subject  may  afford  relief. 
Here  were  a  company  of  infant  souls  that  went  to 
Heaven  together,  as  the  first  fruits  of  the  Saviour's 
incarnation.  They  were  unconscious  martyrs  in 
the  cause  of  Him  who  died  for  them.  Perhaps  they 
compose  a  band  of  glorified  spirits,  and  are  associated 
in  the  minds  of  angels  and  of  the  redeemed  with 
that  most  interesting  event,  the  incarnation  and  the 
infancy  of  the  Lord  from  Heaven  !  Their  sufferings 
were  brief;  their  salvation  was  made  certain  ;  and  in 
view  of  their  intimate  connection  with  the  entrance 
of  the  Saviour  upon  his  work  of  redemption,  their 
sufferings  and  early  death  were  an  honour  and 
privilege,  rather  than  a  calamity. 

It  is  delightful  to  think  that  the  ravages  of  the 
great  destroyer  may  have  been  the  means  of  saving 
so  large  a  part  of  the  race,  and  especially  of  the 
heathen,  from  endless  ruin.  What  wonders  in 
God's  providence  and  government  of  the  world 
will  burst  upon  our  minds  in  connection  with  this 
and  similar  subjects,  when  we  look  behind  these 
scenes  of  suffering  and  death  ! 


ON    HAVING    A    CHILD     IN    HEAVEN.  25 

It  is  not  impossible  that  angels,  even  now,  have 
new  and  more  perfect  views  of  the  wisdom  and 
grace  of  God  as  often  as  they  are  sent  to  heathen 
shores,  or  into  our  dwellings,  to  watch  a  dying 
infant,  and  to  bear  the  unconscious  immortal  and 
future  seraph  from  its  exposure  to  certain  suffering 
and  liability  to  eternal  misery,  to  the  presence  of 
its  God  and  Saviour. 

It  must  follow,  moreover,  that  we  shall  probably 
find  the  company  of  the  redeemed  consisting  in  a 
great  measure  of  souls  who  have  grown  up  in 
Heaven  from  infants  and  young  children  to  the 
measure  of  the  stature  of  prophets  and  apostles. 
Who,  then,  can  look  upon  an  infant  without  think- 
ing of  the  words  of  Christ,  Of  such  is  the  kingdom 
of  God ! 

Parents  who  meet  their  children  in  Heaven,  will 
be  more  than  consoled  for  their  early  death. 
You  cannot  imagine  what  happiness  is  in  reserve 
for  you  from  this  source.  The  child  perhaps  was 
taken  to  Heaven  before  it  could  tell  its  father  from 
a  stranger ;  or  it  was  cut  off  like  a  beautiful  bud, 
when  the  embracement  of  its  leaves  is  breaking 
to  let  forth  its  bloom. 

When  you  have  entered  Heaven,  you  will  proba- 
bly be  met  by  a  youthful  seraph  who  will  call  you 
father !  mother !  Is  this  my  child !  you  will  say? 
at  whose  death  my  heart  was  broken,  and  God's 
justice  and  goodness  were  almost  disputed  ;  in 
whose  little  grave  I  buried  all  my  hopes  ?     As  you 


26  THE    BAPTIZED    CHILD. 

wipe  the  tears  of  joy  from  your  eyes,  you  will  say : 
The  light  affliction,  which  was  but  for  a  moment, 
works  out  for  me  a  far  more  exceeding  and  eternal 
weight  of  glory. 

Have  any  of  you  lost  children  who  are  not  your- 
selves pious  ?  The  mind  of  each  of  those  children 
has  been  unfolding  in  Heaven,  and  has  probably 
grown  faster  than  if  on  earth.  It  has  been  made 
acquainted  with  its  relation  to  you,  and  perhaps 
it  watches  every  soul  that  comes  up  from  earth 
to  Heaven,  to  greet  its  father  or  mother.  Soon 
you  must  appear  at  the  bar  of  God.  You  may 
there  have  an  interview  with  your  child  ;  and  sup- 
pose that  you  are  there  separated  from  that  spirit 
who  has  been  growing  in  the  knowledge  of  God 
and  of  the  universe,  anticipating  the  delightful 
employment  of  telling  you  about  Heaven,  and 
leading  you  among  its  glorified  society,  and  along 
its  celestial  plains ! 

Perhaps  you  have  a  little  family  there,  expecting 
your  arrival.  Can  you  bear  the  thought  of  being 
separated  from  them  in  eternity  ? 

Are  you  an  impenitent  parent  ?  and  have  you 
impenitent  children  who  are  growing  up  without 
religion  ?  and  has  God  taken  away  one  or  more  of 
your  children  in  infancy  or  early  life  ?  Perhaps  it 
was  because  He  saw  that  your  example  or  neglect 
would  ruin  all  the  family,  and  He  has  therefore 
rescued  some  of  them  from  destruction  by  an  early 
death. 


INTERESTING    ASSOCIATIONS.  27 

But  let  the  joy  of  meeting  those  that  have  gone 
to  Heaven  excite  you  to  save  your  own  soul  and 
the  souls  of  your  surviving  children.  Then,  though 
you  mourn  over  their  early  graves,  you  shall  not 
sorrow  as  they  that  have  no  hope.  '  Them  that 
sleep  in  Jesus  will  God  bring  with  Him.'  Their 
early  death  may  prove,  if  you  are  saved,  a  source 
of  the  richest  joy  and  of  praise  ! 

It  has  been  my  object  in  this  chapter  to  represent 
a  few  of  the  interesting  associations  that  belong  to 
infancy,  that  all  may  see  a  pertinency  in  bestowing 
that  notice  upon  young  children  which  they  receive 
in  the  ordinance  of  Infant  Baptism.  There  are 
thoughts  and  feelings  of  intense  interest  in  every 
reflecting  mind,  in  connection  with  an  infant :  and 
inasmuch  as  everything  of  a  spiritual  nature  which 
is  most  interesting  to  a  Christian,  is  connected  in  his 
mind  with  the  Church  and  the  House  of  God,  (as 
David  says  of  Zion,  All  my  springs  are  in  thee,)  it 
is  easy  to  perceive  the  cause  of  that  interest  which 
Christians  in  all  ages  of  the  world  have  felt  in  the 
practice  of  Infant  Baptism.  The  moral  relations  and 
influences  of  this  practice  will  now  be  considered. 


CHAPTER    III. 

Presentation  of  an  infant  for  Baptism.  Thoughts  at  the  sight 
Feelings  at  an  infant's  cry  in  the  House  of  God.  Benevolent 
nature  of  Christianity  illustrated  in  an  infant's  baptism.  Contrast 
in  this  respect  of  Christianity  and  heathenism.  A  child  baptized 
at  a  heathen  river.  Interest  of  the  scene  to  the  souls  of  those  who 
perished  there  by  violence.  Beauty  and  power  of  infant  Baptism 
in  heathen  lands.  Baptism  of  infants  in  a  Christian  temple. 
A  congregation  praying  for  a  child.  Effect  on  the  parents. 
The  rile  performed. 

The  presentation  of  an  immortal  creatm-e  in  its 
infancy  before  God,  is  deeply  interesting  to  a  serious 
and  pious  mind.  There,  in  the  presence  of  '  the 
assembled  brethren  in  Christ,'  of  angels,  of  Jesus 
the  Mediator  of  the  new  covenant,  is  an  infant  for 
the  first  time  in  the  House  of  God,  the  place  which, 
if  the  child  lives  to  worship  there,  will  forever  be  as 
prominent  as  any  other  in  its  recollections  of  earth. 
Its  unconsciousness  of  what  is  doing  for  it  is  affect- 
ing, and  its  quiet  breathings  are  in  beautiful  keeping 
with  the  peaceful  rite. 

Perhaps  its  cries  disturb  the  prayer,  and  the 
composure  of  the  parents.  The  cry  of  a  child 
under  such  circumstances  in  the   House  of  God, 


ILLUSTRATION    OF    CHRISTIANITY.  29 

should  never  be  thought  of,  either  by  parents  or 
spectators,  but  with  the  same  kind  of  feehng  with 
which  we  may  suppose  its  Maker  hears  its  voice  in 
His  temple.  The  dedication  is  not  rendered  less 
acceptable  to  God  by  the  appeal  which  is  made  by 
its  cries  to  his  pity. 

The  parents  bring  the  child  to  the  baptismal 
font,  and  the  minister  invites  all  present  to  unite 
in  commending  them  and  the  child  to  God.  A 
whole  congregation  is  attentive  to  what  is  taking 
place  on  behalf  of  an  unconscious  child.  Who  can 
behold  the  sight,  and  not  think  of  the  contrast  of 
the  scene  with  the  scenes  of  infanticide  that  occur 
in  heathenism  ?  There,  thousands  perish  every 
week  by  exposure,  or  by  a  violence  too  horrid  to 
describe.  Here,  an  assembly  surround  one  infant, 
and  bear  in  it  their  prayers  before  God.  In  what 
point  of  view  could  the  Christian  religion  be  made 
to  appear  in  more  beautiful  contrast  to  heathenism ! 
How  sublime  in  its  simplicity  does  it  seem,  when, 
with  all  the  grandeur  of  its  mysteries  into  which 
angels  look,  it  notices  an  infant,  and  permits  the 
ordinary  worship  of  God's  House  to  be  suspended 
for  a  while,  that  a  child  may  be  taken  into  the 
covenant  of  mercy  ! 

Interesting  and  affecting  as  this  rite  may  be  to 

us,  in  Christian  lands,  it  cannot  be  less  interesting 

when  performed  by  a  missionary  for  the  child  of  a 

converted  heathen,  in  the  presence  of  Christian  and 

4 


30  THE    BAPTIZED    CHILD. 

heathen  natives,  and  of  the  missionary  band.  I  see 
them  standing  on  the  shore  of  a  river,  whose  bed 
for  ages  past  has  received  the  bodies  of  mm^dered 
infants.  A  father  and  mother,  who  perhaps  have 
sacrificed  infants  in  that  very  stream,  now  bring  a 
child  for  Christian  baptism.  With  water  from  the 
river,  or  by  immersion  in  the  river,  the  child  is 
then  baptized  in  the  name  of  the  Father,  Son, 
and  Holy  Ghost.  Thus,  on  those  shores  where 
sin  has  abounded,  grace  doth  much  more  abound. 
From  Heaven,  if  he  is  saved,  the  reader  will  prob- 
ably look  down  with  thrilling  interest  upon  such 
scenes  as  these  in  company  with  multitudes  of  spirits 
to  whom  that  river  was  the  death  bed,  and  is  now 
the  grave,  of  their  bodies.  The  last  command  of 
Christ  to  his  disciples,  Go  teach  all  nations,  baptiz- 
ing them,  will  seem  to  have  a  most  appropriate 
fulfilment  in  such  a  scene. 

The  baptism  of  infants  must  be  a  delightful 
and  precious  ordinance  to  converted  heathen,  who,  in 
witnessing  it,  may  be  more  aff'ected  than  by  any- 
thing else  with  the  contrast  of  the  merciful  and 
condescending  nature  of  Christianity,  to  that  of 
barbarous  and  wasting  heathenism.  But  let  us 
return  to  our  own  temples. 

It  is  the  duty  of  every  worshipper  to  join  in  the 
prayer  which  is  ofi*ered  in  behalf  of  the  child,  so 
that  the  whole  church  shall  send  up  a  cloud  of 
incense  to  God.     Who  can  tell  what  effect  united 


A  CONGREGATION  PRAYING  FOR  A  CHILD.    31 

prayer  at  such  a  moment  may  have  upon  the  child's 
destiny,  and  thus  upon  the  church  and  world ! 
How  delightful  the  thought  of  a  whole  church, 
moved  by  brotherly  love,  sending  up  prayers  for  the 
child  of  a  brother  and  sister  in  Christ !  With  Avhat 
pleasure  must  a  parent  think  of  his  infant's  Baptism 
beforehand,  and  at  the  time  of  its  consecration,  if 
he  knows  that  a  whole  church  will  intercede  for  it 
with  God  !  and  with  what  pleasure  will  he  recollect, 
through  life  and  on  a  dying  bed,  that  the  prayers 
of  a  church  are  on  record  for  his  particular  child  I 

In  the  prayer  that  precedes  and  follows  the 
Baptism,  every  brother  and  sister  in  the  Lord 
should  consider  it  a  duty  as  well  as  a  privilege  to 
join. 

The  rite  is  now  to  be  performed.  The  minister 
sprinkles  pure  water  upon  the  infant's  head,  and 
announcing  its  name,  says,  I  baptize  thee  in  the 
name  of  the  Father,  and  of  the  Son,  and  of  the 
Holy  Ghost. 


CHAPTER    IV. 

Meaning  of  the  Ordinance.  Object  of  rites.  The  two  Christian 
rites.  Use  of  water  in  Baptism.  Meaning  of  the  form  of  Bap- 
tism. Taking  possession  of  a  new  land  in  the  name  of  a  king. 
What  is  implied  on  the  part  of  the  parents  ?  What  is  implied 
on  the  part  of  God  ?  Abrahamic  covenant  only  one  form  of  a 
great  and  general  principle.  Encouragement  from  this  in  dedi- 
cating children.  Feelings  of  parents  in  retiring  from  Baptism. 
Baptism  of  a  household.  Limit  of  age  in  baptizing  children. 
The  refractory  child.  The  widow's  household,  or  infant.  Infant 
of  a  departed  pious  mother.      Inconsistency  of  romantic  names. 

But  what  is  the  meaning  of  this  ordinance  ? 

It  is  natural  to  man  to  be  affected  by  rites  and 
ceremonies.  No  kindred  or  tribe  of  men  was  ever 
known  that  did  not  have  them.  They  impress 
the  mind  through  several  of  the  senses  at  once ; 
they  interest  the  feelings,  excite  the  attention,  and 
fix  the  truth  more  deeply  on  the  mind  than  could 
be  done  by  words  without  them.  Too  many 
ceremonies  are  burdensome,  lead  to  superstitious 
observances,  and  take  away  the  thoughts  from 
what  is  signified  by  them,  and  beget  formality. 
The  entire  absence  of  forms  is  not  suited  to  man's 
nature,  which  craves  the  presence  of  external  ob- 
jects to  rouse  and  fix  his  attention  and  feelings. 


MEANING  OF  THE  FORM  OF  BAPTISM.      33 

The  Christian  religion  contains  two  sacred  rites, 
Baptism  and  the  Lord's  Supper.  These  are  admi- 
rably fitted  to  affect  the  mind,  not  so  much  with 
surprise,  or  to  absorb  the  thoughts  in  the  outward 
forms,  as  to  lead  them  immediately  to  the  things 
signified,  and  to  fix  them  in  inward  meditation. 

The  use  of  water  rather  than  anything  else  is 
appointed  to  denote  the  purifying  influence  of  the 
Holy  Spirit,  of  whose  dispensation  Baptism  is  the 
sign  and  seal. 

To  be  baptized  in  the  name  of  the  Father,  the 
Son,  and  the  Holy  Ghost,  is  as  though  the  subject 
received  a  badge  with  that  sacred  name  upon  it, 
to  be  worn  as  a  remembrancer  to  himself,  and  a 
witness  to  others  of  consecration  to  God. 

When  the  discoverer  of  some  new  land  or  island 
takes  possession  of  it  in  the  name  of  his  king,  and 
attaches  it  to  the  crown,  the  same  thing  is  done  as 
when  we  utter  the  name  of  the  Godhead  in  solemn 
form,  and  with  a  sacred  rite  over  a  human  creature  ; 
we  assert  the  property  of  God  in  him  ;  and  it  is  only 
by  future  rebellion  persisted  in,  that  the  claim  thus 
asserted  will  not  be  followed  by  the  everlasting 
and  glorious  indwelling  of  God  in  that  soul. 

Let  us  consider  what  is  implied  in  the  act  of 
dedicating  a  child  by  Baptism,  both  on  the  part  of 
the  parents  and  of  a  covenant  God. 

1.  What  is  implied  on  the  part  of  the  parents  ? 

Before  angels  and  men,  they  give  up  their  child 
*4 


34  THE    BAPTIZED    CHILD. 

to  God,  renouncing  their  own  claim  to  dispose  of  it, 
acknowledging  that  it  was  originally  God's  gift, 
and  is  now  laid  upon  his  altar.  It  is  presumed 
that  they  have  already  given  their  child  to  God  in 
their  private  prayers,  and  at  their  family  altar,  and 
now  they  come  with  the  gift  in  their  hands,  to  do 
the  same  before  many  witnesses. 

The  parents  consecrate  their  child  to  God,  to 
Christ,  to  the  Spirit  of  all  Grace !  to  the  service 
and  glory  of  the  sacred  Three,  whose  name  is 
called  upon  it.  It  is  offered  to  God,  its  Father, 
who  made  it,  and  from  whose  infinite  Being,  its 
being  came.  It  is  offered  to  the  Saviour,  who  for  it 
himself  became  a  child,  that  He  might  fully  sympa- 
thize with  us,  even  in  our  state  of  infancy,  and 
whose  omniscient  eye  beheld  this  infant  as  an 
object  of  his  redeeming  grace,  when  He  gave  him- 
self for  it.  It  is  offered  to  the  Holy  Ghost,  by  whom 
it  must  be  born  again,  and  on  whom  it  will  depend 
for  holiness  even  in  Heaven. 

To  the  compassion  and  favor  of  God,  to  the  pro- 
motion of  that  cause  which  the  Father,  the  Son, 
and  the  Holy  Ghost,  are  carrying  on  in  the  world, 
the  child  is  solemnly  offered  and  set  apart.  The 
consecration  is  sealed  by  the  sacrament  or  oath  of 
Baptism. 

2.  What  is  implied  on  the  part  of  a  covenant 
God  in   his  ordinance  ? 


CONNECTION    OF    CHILDREN    WITH    PARENTS.       35 

This  cannot  be  better  expressed  than  in  the 
words  of  the  celebrated  Shepard,  of  Cambridge,  to 
his  son  :  ''  God  gave  thee  the  ordinance  of  Baptism, 
whereby  God  is  become  thy  God,  and  is  beforehand 
with  thee,  so  that  if  thou  wilt  return  to  God,  He 
will  undoubtedly  receive  thee." 

In  consequence  of  the  parents'  relation  to  God, 
He  stands  in  a  peculiar  relation  to  their  child. 
Children  were  formerly  included  with  their  parents 
in  promises  and  threatenings,  blessings  and  curses. 
This  is  a  principle  in  the  government  of  the  world  ; 
and  when  God  revived  his  church  in  Abraham, 
this  principle  came  into  view,  and  the  admission  of 
children  into  covenant  with  their  parents,  was 
grafted  upon  it.  It  has  its  foundation  in  our 
natures  and  cannot  cease  but  with  the  parental 
relation.  So  that  the  question.  Whether  the  Abra- 
hamic  covenant  is  abolished,  is  lost  in  the  question, 
Has  that  principle  of  the  divine  government  ceased, 
upon  which  God  formerly  included  the  children  of 
believers  in  his  covenant  with  their  parents  ? 

It  is  not  my  intention  to  discuss  the  Abrahamic 
covenant ;  though  it  will  be  mentioned  with  occa- 
sional remarks  in  the  course  of  the  book.  I 
consider  it  only  as  one  exhibition  of  a  great 
principle  in  God's  government  of  the  world,  which 
existed  before  that  covenant  was  made,  and  will 
last  to  the  end  of  time,  —  I  mean,  the  natural  con- 
nection of  children  with  their  parents  in  the  divine 
constitution. 


36  THE    BAPTIZED    CHILD. 

So  that  when  a  child  is  solemnly  dedicated  to 
God  in  his  House,  and  with  the  Christian  rite  of 
Baptism,  God,  in  reference  to  this  voluntary  ac- 
knowledgement of  His  claims,  and  from  regard  to 
the  filial  and  pious  feelings  which  prompted  the 
consecration,  will,  in  view  of  His  covenant  with 
believers  and  their  seed,  receive  that  child  into  the 
number  of  those  to  whom  He  stands  in  a  peculiar 
relation.  A  pious  parent,  whose  faith  in  God  and 
desire  for  his  blessing  upon  his  child  leads  him  to 
use  the  ordina  ice  of  Baptism  with  a  sincere  and 
prayerful  mind,  and  who  follows  up  his  vows  with 
consistent  practice,  may  be  sure  that  the  Great 
Shepherd  and  Bishop  of  souls  has  written  the  name 
of  that  child  before  Him  in  letters  which  His  infinite 
forbearance  and  mercy  will  long  keep  from  being 
blotted  out,  though  the  child  should  perversely 
break  its  father's  covenant. 

Let  us  now   consider  the   feelings  with  which 
parents  should  retire  from  the  baptismal  service. 

It  is  a  solemn  moment  when  they  take  the  child 
away  from  the  Baptism.  They  have  given  it  to 
God  ;  and  they  bear  it  away,  as  the  mother  of 
Moses  did  her  own  son  to  bring  it  up  for  another, 
who,  in  this  case,  is  God.  They  have,  by  their 
vows,  promised  that  the  will  of  God  concerning 
their  child  shall  be  their  will,  so  that  the  question 
of  its  life  or  death  is  left  implicitly  with  Him. 
Though  their  hearts  will  bleed  if  it  should  be  taken 


BAPTISM    OF    A    HOUSEHOLD.  37 

away,  yet,  by  the  baptismal  service,  they  have 
engaged  to  consider  the  child  henceforth  as  entirely 
at  God's  disposal ;  and  whenever  they  look  npon  it 
hereafter,  the  feeling  which  they  are  to  have  is 
expressed  by  these  words,  Le7it^  not  given.  If  it 
dies,  they  will  remember  its  Baptism  and  their  vows, 
and  the  peace  of  God  that  passeth  all  miderstanding 
will  steal  into  their  breaking  hearts.  If  it  lives,  it 
is  to  be  trained  up  for  that  God  to  whom  it  has 
been  given.  , 

Suppose  that,  instead  of  bringing  the  child  to  the 
altar,  the  parents  had  appeared  there  to  receive  the 
child  from  God,  and  it  had  been  placed  in  their 
hands  by  ministering  spirits  who  had  brought  it 
from  the  presence  of  God,  and  this  voice  should  be 
heard  in  the  temple  :  Take  this  child,  and  bring  it 
up  for  me  !  With  what  feelings  would  you  retire 
from  such  a  service  ?  How  would  you  ever  after 
look  upon  the  child  ?  Your  vows  of  consecration, 
and  the  expectation  of  God  make  the  case  the  same 
as  though  the  child  had  been  received  in  this  way 
from  Heaven  ! 

It  is  an  affecting  sight  when  a  household  is 
offered  for  Baptism.  The  feelings  of  a  minister  are 
perhaps  never  interested  more  than  in  laying  his 
hand,  with  the  seal  of  the  covenant,  on  the  head  of 
a  boy,  and  bindmg  his  youthful  spirit  to  the  altar 
of  God.  And  when  his  sister  follows  him  to  receive 
the  sacred  rite,  there  is  a  change  in  the  feelings  of 


38  THE    BAPTIZED    CHILD. 

the  minister,  and  of  the  spectators,  to  a  soft  and 
subduing  sympathy. 

Within  what  age  may  children  be  presented  for 
Baptism  ?  When  the  apostles  say  that  they  bap- 
tized households,  it  has  been  the  impression  of  the 
great  body  of  Christians,  that  there  were  children, 
or  servants,  or  both,  in  those  households  who  were 
baptized  on  the  ground  of  their  parents'  or  masters' 
profession.  I  shall  not  argue  this  point,  but  proceed 
to  say :  (if  this  were  the  case,  we  deduce  this 
principle  from  it ;  Baptism  may  be  gi\^en  in  all 
cases  where  the  parent  or  master  has  such  control 
over  the  subject,  that  he  can  carry  out  in  his  subse- 
quent treatment  of  him  the  dedication  to  God, 
which  was  signified  in  asking  for  and  receiving 
the  ordinance. 

Suppose  that  a  youth,  whose  father  is  dead,  and 
whose  mother  is  recently  converted,  is  refractory  at 
her  proposal  to  offer  him  in  Baptism  ?  I  put  the 
case  because  it  has  occurred.  The  greater  pains 
should  be  taken  to  soften  and  subdue  his  spirit. 
He  is  probably  a  grief  to  his  mother  in  his  daily 
conduct,  and  takes  advantage  of  his  having  no 
father  to  govern  him.  Now  there  is  a  good  oppor- 
tunity to  affect  him  with  religious  considerations. 
Let  the  minister  be  made  acquainted  with  the  case. 
He  will  appeal  to  his  feelings  towards  his  widowed 
mother,  his  departed  father,  and  will  try  to  remove 
the  shame  which  he  feels  at  the  thought  of  being 


A    widow's    infant.  NAMES.  39 

taunted  for  his  baptism  by  his  wicked  playmates. 
Their  influence  over  him,  and  thus  the  dreadful 
snare  which  the  fear  of  others  brings  with  it,  may 
now  be  broken,  and  preparation  may  be  made  for 
religious  influences  to  reach  his  heart. 

Who  can  behold  the  Baptism  of  a  wic'ow's 
household,  and  especially  of  her  infant,  without 
tears  !  How  appropriate  to  her  situation  and  feel- 
ings is  this  ordinance,  in  which  her  children  are 
cast  upon  the  bosom  of  the  church  by  that  God 
who  says,  A  father  of  the  fatherless  and  the  judge 
of  the  widows  is  God  in  his  Holy  Habitation ! 

A  mother  died  and  left  an  infant.  Soon  after, 
the  father  appeared  with  it  in  the  House  of  God, 
and  in  the  name  of  the  departed  mother,  and  his 
own,  offered  it  in  Baptism.  One  glorified  spirit,  at 
least,  if  not  a  cloud  of  witnesses,  we  may  suppose, 
was  moved  at  such  a  sight. 

The  names  which  are  sometimes  given  to  chil- 
dren in  Baptism,  are  so  romantic  that  they  seem  to 
have  been  taken  from  a  novel.  This  is  inconsistent 
with  the  motive  and  the  state  of  mind,  with  which 
parents  are  supposed  to  offer  their  children  in 
Baptism. 


CHAPTER    V. 

Principles  in  the  treatment  and  education  of  a  Baptized  child.      1. 
Frequent  renewal  of  the  consecration.      2.  Praying  with  a  child. 
Influence  of  it  on  a  child.      Mode  of  proceeding.      The  child's 
appearance  at  prayer.      Its  impressions  of  the  nature  of  the  act. 
Influence  of  prayer  before  a  child  in  correction  and   encourage- 
ment.     John  Newton's  testimony  respecting  his  mother's  prayers. 
Duty  of  a  father  to    pray  with    his    child.      Interesting  sight. 
Eflect  on  the  parent's  mind  and  feelings.      Influence  of  it  on'the 
child's   feelings  towards   its  father.      3.    The   child   taught   the 
meaning  of  its  Baptism.      Good  opportunity  when  the  child  has 
witnessed  a  Baptism.      God's  attention  ^o  the  young.      Moses,  in 
the  ark  by  the  Nile,  preserved  and  restored  to  his  mother.      Moses 
on  Sinai.      Connection  of  his  goodness  and  greatness,  with  God's 
notice  of  him  when  a  child.      Call  of  Samuel  in  the  Temple. 
God's  notice  of  children  at  their  Baptism.      Influence  of  these 
thoughts  upon  a  Baptized  child.      4.  Influence  of  Baptism  on  the 
parents  in  directing  the  child.      Maternal  associations.      General 
influence  of  a    sincere   consecration   of  children   upon    parental 
conduct.      Inconsistent  conduct  of  many  parents.      Wrong  mo- 
tives in  Baptism.      Effects.      Parents  punished  in  their  chridren. 
Apostacy  of  children.      Appeal  to  the  parent  of  a  Baptized  child. 
Summary  view  of  motives  and  feelings  in    offering  a  child  for 
Baptism.      Annanias  and  Sapphira,  or  the  guilt  of  insincerity  in 
a  free-will  offering.      The  service  delightful  as  well  as  solemn. 

What  are  some  of  the  principles  upon  which  the 
parents  will  feel  it  their  duty  to  train  up  the  Bap- 
tized child  ^ 


RENEWAL    OF    THE    DEDICATION.  41 

1.  They  will  frequently  renew  the  dedication  of 
the  child  to  God. 

They  will  not  regard  the  Baptism  as  a  mere 
ceremony,  but  as  the  commencement  of  obligations 
of  which  they  will  be  reminded,  and  thereby  excited 
to  faithfulness,  as  often  as  they  remember  the  Bap- 
tism. They  will  frequently  lift  up  their  thoughts 
to  God  imploring  his  help  in  the  discharge  of  their 
solemn  trust.  As  often  as  their  affections  are 
moved  by  watching  its  slumbers  or  its  first  motions 
which  betray  its  helplessness  and  excite  a  mingled 
love  and  pity,  they  will  raise  a  silent  prayer  for  the 
love  and  favour  of  God  to  rest  upon  it.  The  recol- 
lection of  the  solemn  and  impressive  ordinance  of 
Baptism,  and  the  sight  of  the  little  creature  that 
was  the  subject  of  such  a  scene,  will  make  them 
think  that  the  soul  which  has  taken  up  its  habitation 
in  the  child  was  all  that  gave  the  ordinance  its 
propriety  ;  and  the  attention  that  was  bestowed 
upon  the  child  in  admitting  it  to  such  an  ordinance 
will  invest  that  soul  in  their  thoughts  with  some- 
thing of  its  unutterable  value.  The  dawn  of  its 
being  will  be  consecrated  by  frequent  and  fervent 
prayer. 

2.  The  parents  will  begin  early  to  pray  with  the 
child. 

The  object  of  this  will  be  to  lead  the  thoughts 
of  the  child  as  soon  as  possible  to  that  God  between 
5 


42  THE     BAPTIZED    CHILD. 

whom  and  the  child  a  solemn  and  affecting  rela- 
tion has  been  instituted  by  Baptism. 

The  parents  of  a  baptized  child  who  do  not  pray 
with  it,  as  well  as  for  it,  neglect  a  most  important 
part  of  their  duty.  This  is  the  best  of  all  methods 
to  teach  a  child  the  nature  and  duty,  and  to  form 
in  it  the  habit,  of  prayer.  As  soon  as  a  child  begins 
to  pray  intelligently,  it  assumes  upon  itself  the 
obligations  of  its  Baptism,  and  God  hears  its  voice 
and  thinks  of  his  covenant.  The  first  thing  that 
the  parents  of  a  baptized  child  can  do  to  carry  out 
the  design  of  the  Baptism,  is,  to  pray  ivith  the 
child. 

It  is  surprising  to  see  how  early  a  child  may 
be  made  to  understand  something  about  prayer,  at 
least  so  far  as  to  feel  that  there  is  something  sacred 
and  solemn  in  the  act.  Let  a  parent  when  alone 
with  the  child,  and  the  child  is  in  a  pleasant  mood, 
ask  it  to  kneel  with  him,  and  fold  its  hands  ;  or  if  it 
cannot  kneel,  let  the  parent  kneel,  and  place  his 
hand  on  the  head  of  the  child,  and  utter  simple 
words  aloud.  Let  the  look  of  the  parent  be  such 
as  it  naturally  will  be  while  speaking  with  his 
Maker.  The  child  will  be  impressed  with  the 
apparent  absence  of  the  parent's  manner,  while  it 
hears  its  own  name  from  his  lips ;  and  will  look 
up  with  childish  wonder.  Soon,  when  invited  to 
go  and  pray,  it  will  run  to  the  well-known  place. 


A    FATHER    AT    PRAYER    WITH    HIS    CHILD.         43 

and  the  parent,  by  frequently  repeating  the  practice, 
will  exert  an  influence  upon  the  child  as  lasting 
as  eternity.  When  the  child  has  done  wrong, 
after  convincing  it  of  its  sin,  kneel  with  it  before 
God,  mingle  your  complaint  and  sorrow  for  its 
sin  with  words  and  tones  of  affection,  and  upon  the 
softened  feelings  of  the  child  there  will  be  made  an 
impression  of  its  accountability  to  this  unseen 
Power  that  can  never  be  efl"aced.  And  when  the 
child  has  been  remarkably  good,  kneel  with  it  in 
the  same  manner,  and  use  some  affectionate  expres- 
sions of  commendation  and  of  thankfulness,  so  that 
prayer  may  be  associated  in  the  child's  mind  with 
its  happiest  moments,  and  its  thoughts  of  God  be 
of  one  who  loves  goodness  as  much  as  He  hates 
sin. 

John  Newton  testifies,  that,  in  the  midst  of  his 
infidelity  and  debauchery,  he  would  sometimes 
seem  to  feel  the  pressure  of  his  mother's  hand  upon 
his  head, — though  when  she  prayed  with  him,  he 
was  too  young  to  understand  her  words ;  but  the 
pressure  of  that  hand  followed  him  in  his  manhood, 
and  was  one  of  the  means  of  bringing  him  to  God. 
No  Christian  mother  should  omit  this  practice ;  it 
is  one  of  the  mightiest  means  of  good  that  God  has 
ordained. 

But  the  father  of  a  baptized  child  should,  more 
especially,  perform  this  delightful  service  with  his 
child.     The    respect    which  a  child    feels    for  its 


44 


THE    BAPTIZED    CHILD. 


father,  and  its  filial  fear  towards  him,  will  impress 
it  very  deeply  upon  the  child's  memory.  Can 
there  be  a  more  interesting  sight  to  Heaven  than 
that  of  a  man  kneeling  before  God,  at  the  side  of  a 
little  child  ?  If  the  eyes  of  the  parent  in  prayer 
could  be  opened,  —  considering  the  views  which 
are  entertained  in  Heaven  of  true  greatness  as 
beginning  in  that  which,  to  sinful  creatures,  is 
humility,  it  would  not  be  strange  if  he  should  see 
a  ministering  angel  beckoning  to  his  fellows  to 
come  and  see  the  sight,  and  presently  there  should 
be  a  circle  of  heavenly  spectators  around  a  scene  of 
such  moral  beauty  and  true  greatness.  How  like 
Christ  is  a  parent  when  he  is  not  ashamed  of 
humbling  himself  to  the  condition  and  feelings  of  a 
child !  No  act  of  worship  can  better  soften  the 
feelings  or  soothe  them  when  ruffled  by  the  cares 
and  business  of  life,  or  bring  the  presence  of  God 
more  sensibly  near  to  the  soul  than  for  a  man  to 
commune  with  God  for  and  with  his  child.  That 
child  will  revere  your  memory  when  you  are  dead. 
You  may  be  great  in  honour  or  riches  amongst 
men,  but  none  of  these  things  will  sanctify  your 
memory,  or  so  perpetuate  your  influence  with  your 
child  as  your  having  kneeled  with  it  before  God. 
In  after  life,  yea,  through  eternity,  you  will  be 
associated  with  its  first  thoughts  of  its  Maker ! 

You  may  send  that  child  from  you,   hereafter, 
and  whether  in  foreign  lands,  or  on  the  ocean,  or 


god's  notice  of  a  child  illustrated.      45 

in  scenes  of  temptation  and  danger  at  home,  or  in 
the  quiet  walks  of  preparation  for  future  hfe,  the 
thoughts  of  you  will  rise  before  its  mind  like  good 
angels,  and  though  dead,  you  will  yet  speak  to  it. 

Let  every  father  and  mother,  who  bring  their 
child  to  the  altar  of  God  in  Baptism,  follow  out  the 
influence  of  the  solemn  and  delightful  scene,  by 
repeating  the  dedication  of  the  child  in  secret,  and 
by  making  the  impression  on  its  mind  that  it  stands 
in  a  solemn  relation  to  Almighty  God.  This  will 
be  done  effectually,  with  God's  blessing,  by  fre- 
quently appealing  to  its  Maker  in  the  child's 
presence  and  in  its  behalf,  and  by  connecting  its 
name  with  the  posture  and  words  of  supplication. 

3.  The  parents  will  early  teach  the  child  the 
nature  and  meaning  of  its  Baptism. 

It  will  be  natural  to  use  those  occasions  for  this 
purpose  when  the  child's  curiosity  and  interest  are 
excited  by  witnessing  the  Baptism  of  children. 

In  connection  with  this  ordinance,  the  sight  of 
which  will  impress  all  that  is  said  upon  the  child's 
mind,  it  will  be  highly  profitable  to  teach  the  child 
the  notice  bestowed  by  its  Maker  upon  infants  and 
young  children.  Of  this,  the  Baptism  of  an  infant 
in  the  name  of  its  God  can  be  shown  to  be  an 
affecting  illustration.  As  parallel  to  it,  and  an 
illustration  of  the  same  divine  regard  for  infants, 
the  history  of  Moses  may  be  made  familiar  to  the 

child.     It  was  the  Maker  of  Heaven  and  earth  that 

#5 


46  THE    BAPTIZED    CHILD. 

directed  the  mother  of  Moses  to  prepare  that  ark 
for  her  infant  son ;  it  was  God  that  led  her  with  it 
to  the  side  of  the  river ;  it  was  God  that  watched 
the  child  as  the  swelling  tide  was  rocking  the  ark, 
that  no  monster  of  the  deep  should  be  attracted  by 
its  cry ;  it  was  God  that  led  the  princess  to  that 
part  of  the  river  where  the  ark  was  ;  and  when  the 
babe  wept,  it  was  God  that  softened  her  heart. 
And  what  an  affecting  instance  of  the  goodness  of 
God,  that  when  the  princess  sent  to  call  a  nurse, 
He  should  have  directed  her,  amongst  the  thou- 
sands of  Israelitish  women,  to  the  child's  own 
mother ! 

All  these  incidents  can  be  so  represented  to  a 
child  as  to  give  it  delightful  views  of  the  conde- 
scension of  God,  and  to  make  it  feel  that  He  does 
notice  even  an  infant.  Speak  of  him  that  was  a 
babe  in  the  ark  amongst  the  bulrushes,  as  after- 
ward on  the  top  of  Sinai ;  and  by  this  and  other 
thrilling  events  in  the  life  of  Moses,  connect  the 
notice  and  care  which  God  took  of  him,  an  infant, 
with  his  future  usefulness  and  greatness.  It  will 
then  appear  to  the  child  a  most  interesting  and 
important,  as  well  as  solemn  thing  to  have  been 
presented  to  God  in  Baptism. 

If  the  child  had  advanced  beyond  infancy  when 
it  was  baptized,  the  call  of  young  Samuel  in  the 
temple  by  his  Maker,  and  his  subsequent  goodness 
and  greatness,    may  be   used    to    illustrate    God's 


INFLUENCE    OF    THE    BAPTISM.  47 

notice  of  children  at  every  period  of  childhood,  and 
the  effect  in  after  life  of  having  the  notice  and 
favour  of  God  when  we  are  young. 

By  these  instructions,  a  child  may  be  led  to  regard 
its  Baptism  with  feelings  of  the  deepest  interest. 
The  thought  that  God  once  looked  upon  it  in  His 
House,  an  unconscious  child,  and  that  prayers  were 
offered  in  its  behalf,  and  then,  that  in  accordance 
with  God's  special  regard  for  the  children  of  the 
pious  in  all  ages  of  the  world.  He  gave  it  Bap- 
tism, and  permitted  His  name  to  be  called  upon  it, 
will  have  a  tendency  to  bring  Jehovah  near  to  the 
child  as  its  condescending  God  and  friend,  and  will 
help  to  remove  that  dread  of  God  which  sin  occa- 
sions ;  —  to  subdue  which,  and  to  inspire  us  with 
confidence  in  himself  as  a  God  willing  to  forgive, 
was  one  of  the  leading  objects  in  the  incarnation 
and  life  of  Christ,  and  is  a  great  design  in  all  the 
ordinances  of  the  Gospel. 

As  the  child  grows  up,  the  parents  will  be  careful 
to  make  it  understand  what  they  did  when  they 
offered  it  in  Baptism.  They  will  teach  it,  first, 
that  they  gave  it  away  to  God,  and  that  He  has 
the  first  claim  upon  it.  In  speaking  with  the  child 
about  its  future  life,  they  will  make  it  feel  that  in 
giving  it  up  in  Baptism  they  intended  the  conse- 
cration of  its  whole  existence  to  God,  and  that  they 
shall  inquire  at  every  step  of  its  progress  for  the 


48  THE    BAPTIZED    CHILD. 

will  of  God  concerning  it,  and  bring  it  up  on  prin- 
ciples which  they  believe  Christ  will  sanction. 
They  will  keep  this  impression  on  the  child's 
mind,  that  God  is  its  proprietor,  and  that  they  are 
acting  for  God ;  and  they  will  thus  lead  the  child 
by  their  example  to  say,  '  My  Father,  thou  art  the 
guide  of  my  youth.' 

Then,  in  the  second  place,  they  will  teach  it  that 
its  Baptism  was  permitted  by  its  Maker,  as  a  seal 
and  token  that  He  is  willing  to  be  its  God  and 
portion ;  that  He  was  mindful  of  it  from  the  first 
moment  of  its  existence,  and  received  it  when  it 
was  cast  upon  his  arms  at  its  birth  ;  and  that  having 
thus  signified  his  willingness  to  be  its  God,  and 
have  it  for  his  child,  it  has  every  inducement  to 
love  God  and  no  excuse  for  impenitence  and 
irreligion.  '  God  gave  thee  the  ordinance  of  Bap- 
tism whereby  God  is  become  thy  God  and  is 
beforehand  with  thee,  so  that  if  thou  wilt  return  to 
God,  He  will  undoubtedly  receive  thee.' 

Other  thoughts  upon  this  topic  will  be  found 
in  another  place  addressed  to  the  baptized  child. 

4.  The  parents  will  remember  the  consecration 
of  their  child  in  Baptism  and  their  covenant  vows, 
when  deciding  questions  of  duty  in  governing  or 
advising  their  child. 

The  general  principles  already  stated  will  be 
applied  in  particular  cases  by  the  help  of  knowledge 
gained  from  various  sources,  to  be   guided  by  a 


MATERNAL    ASSOCIATIONS.  49 

sound  discretion.  One  of  the  best  helps  in  a 
Christian  education  of  children  is  the  '  Maternal 
Association '  of  modern  times,  composed  of  pious 
mothers  who  meet  to  converse  on  the  subject  of  the 
management  of  children,  to  compare  the  various 
experience  of  difficulties,  trials  and  success ;  the 
little  expedients  that  have  been  resorted  to  in  the 
family  to  secure  obedience,  subdue  obstinacy,  pro- 
duce repentance,  and  encourage  good  dispositions. 
Each  mother  gains  in  this  way  an  amount  of 
practical  knowledge  that  differs  from  the  infor- 
mation that  books  give,  as  coin  does  from  wedges 
of  gold  and  silver. 

Then,  the  united  prayers  of  these  parents,  to 
whom  God  has  committed  '  the  Hope  of  the 
Church,'  are,  without  doubt,  heard  in  Heaven  with 
a  peculiar  interest. 

If  any  parent  has  a  child  in  circumstances  of 
danger,  or  that  seems  to  stand  in  need  of  special 
prayer,  (and  what  child  does  not  ?)  it  would  seem 
that  the  privilege  of  securing  the  prayers  of  a  circle 
of  pious  mothers,  who  know  so  well  from  natural 
instinct  how  to  intercede  for  a  child,  would  be 
sufficient  to  induce  every  Christian  mother  to  be  a 
member  of  such  a  circle. 

In  deciding  questions  relating  to  management, 
education,  amusements,  and  other  things,  an  en- 
lightened conscience  may  be  trusted  for  right 
decisions,  being  guarded  on  the  one  hand  against 


50  THE    BAPTIZED    CHILD. 

narrow  views  of  duty  by  information  gained  from 
pious  and  intelligent  sources  of  instruction,  and 
against  worldliness  on  the  other,  by  the  fear  of 
God,  the  remembrance  of  covenant  vows,  and  the 
professed  intention  of  living  and  of  educating  the 
child,  for  eternity.  While  the  parents  will  seek 
the  greatest  usefulness  of  the  child,  they  will  be 
restrained  by  their  covenant  vows  from  placing  it 
in  situations  of  temptation,  or  where  there  is  immi- 
nent danger  that  errour  and  sin  may  frustrate  all 
that  the  grace  of  God  may  have  done  for  it.  '  Lead 
me  not  into  temptation,'  will  be  a  prayer  which  the 
parents  will  frequently  offer  as  a  safeguard  to  the 
ambitious  desire  of  seeing  the  child  prosper  in  the 
world  at  the  risk  of  its  salvation.  They  will  regard 
the  fear  of  the  Lord,  a  conscientious  love  of  truth, 
of  purity,  of  goodness,  secured  by  the  regeneration 
of  the  soul,  and  the  increasing  strength  of  religious 
principle  as  the  pearl  of  great  price  to  be  sought  for 
their  child.  If  its  wishes  are  worldly,  and  it 
manifests  a  taste  for  light  and  frivolous  things,  and 
seeks  amusements  which  the  parents  know  are 
dangerous  to  the  soul,  they  will  not  hesitate  a 
moment  in  bringing  parental  authority,  in  a  judi- 
cious manner,  to  bear  upon  the  child's  conscience, 
and  will  fortify  themselves  against  the  danger  of 
yielding  to  its  perverse  inclinations  from  mistaken 
affection  or  weakness,  by  remembering  the  baptismal 
vows,  and  the   oft-repeated   covenant   with   God. 


VIOLATION    OF    BAPTISMAL    VOWS.  51 

God  will  strengthen  the  parents'  authority  who 
thus  throw  themselves  upon  His  covenant  in  times 
of  difficulty  and  trial  with  their  children.  The 
question  by  which  a  parent  can  best  judge  of  his 
treatment  of  his  child  in  all  cases  of  doubtful 
expediency,  is  this,  Hoio  shall  I  wish  that  I  had 
acted  in  this  case,  when  ony  child  is  giving  its 
Maker,  in  7?iy  hearing,  at  His  bar,  an  account  of 
my  intercourse  vnth  it  on  earth  7  Carry  yourself 
and  your  child  in  this  way  in  imagination  before 
your  final  Judge,  and  settle  every  religious  scruple 
under  impressions  borrowed  from  that  hour. 

It  is  affecting  and  painful  to  consider  that  some 
parents  who  have  offered  their  children  to  God  in 
Baptism,  seem  as  if  they  were  educating  them  for 
Satan.  All  the  principles  upon  which  they  bring 
them  up  are  worldly  ;  every  question  of  duty  is 
settled  with  no  regard  to  the  christian  standard  of 
propriety  ;  and  in  short,  they  have  no  more  reference 
to  the  will  of  God,  or  to  his  honour  or  glory  in  con- 
nection with  their  children,  than  though  there  were 
no  God, 

Why  did  they  offer  their  children  in  Baptism  ? 
Merely  for  the  sake  of  carrying  them  into  the 
public  assembly,  and  giving  them  their  names  ; 
and  probably  they  never  think  of  the  Baptism 
afterward,  unless  reminded  of  it  by  seeing  the  dress 
which  the  child  wore  on  the  occasion,  or  by  some 
other  accident > 


52  THE     BAPTIZED    CHILD. 

There  is  great  guilt  in  such  conduct ;  it  is 
mocking  God  with  an  offering  which  they  did  not 
intend  to  make,  and  have  accordingly  withheld. 

Can  we  suppose  that  the  child  who  is  thus 
presented,  and  whose  education  corresponds  with 
the  careless  manner  in  which  it  was  offered,  is 
received  into  covenant  ?  Or  if  God,  in  pity  towards 
the  unconscious  creature  thus  trifled  with  in  this 
solemn  scene  of  its  spiritual  history,  does  take  the 
child  into  his  covenant,  the  parents  may  be  made 
to  feel  the  consequences  of  their  neglect  by  having 
the  child  a  scourge  and  torment  to  them  many 
years,  though  it  be  saved  at  last  as  by  fire.  When 
we  see  the  undutiful  and  cruel  conduct  of  the 
children  of  Christian  parents,  especially  when  we 
see  them  piercing  their  parents'  hearts  with  many 
sorrows  in  choosing  a  professed  belief  and  a  place 
of  worship  which  their  parents  disapprove,  we 
cannot  but  ask,  Did  these  parents  really  covenant 
with  God  concerning  their  child  ?  or  if  they  did, 
Have  they  been  covenant-breakers  ?  Does  He  not 
call  himself  a  covenant-keeping  God,  and  has  there 
not  been  some  fault  with  them  that  the  blessings 
of  the  covenant  are  not  realized  ? 

Some  Christian  parents  seem  to  regard  their  chil- 
dren's apostacy  with  little  or  no  concern,  and  perhaps 
never  remonstrated  with  them  when  they  first  dis- 
covered their  inclination  to  forsake  the  guide  of  their 
youth,  and  the  covenant  of  their  God,  but  let  them 


FEELINGS    AT    BAPTISM.  53 

imbibe  erroiir,  and  take  up  with  forms  of  mibelief 
that  dishonour  their  God  and  Saviour,  without  even 
the  weak  reproof  of  Eh,   '  Nay,  do  not  so  my  sons.' 

Have  you  not  solemnly  given  your  children  to 
the  Father,  the  Son,  and  the  Holy  Ghost  ?  and  can 
you  permit  them  to  violate  their  Baptism  without 
strong  efforts  and  prayers  to  bind  them  to  the 
covenant  that  was  made  for  them  with  Heaven  ? 
God  has  entrusted  their  immortal  interests  to  your 
care.  You  must  one  day  surrender  your  charge  at 
his  bar,  when  He  will  say.  Give  an  account  of 
thy  stewardship,  for  thou  mayest  be  no  longer 
steward ! 

In  view  of  what  has  been  said,  the  feelings  with 
which  parents  bring  their  children  for  Baptism 
should  be  those  of  serious  consideration,  and  great 
solemnity.  They  come  to  take  a  most  important 
charge  upon  themselves,  as  lasting  as  the  possibility 
of  influencing  their  children.  It  is  not  a  formal 
service  upon  which  they  attend  ;  it  is  to  receive 
the  oath  of  Heaven  upon  themselves  in  regard  to 
their  offspring,  and  to  assume  obligations  which  are 
to  affect  the  interests  of  the  children  for  eternity. 
Parents,  therefore,  should  not  come  to  the  baptismal 
service  until  they  are  impressed  with  the  nature  of 
the  service  in  which  they  are  about  to  engage,  and 
the  extent  of  the  promise  and  covenant  which  they 
are  about  to  make.  As  it  is  a  voluntary  service, 
they  should  be  the  more  careful  to  do  it  acceptably 
6 


54  THE    BAPTIZED    CHILD. 

and  with  godly  fear.  The  two  victims  of  falsehood 
who  fell  dead  at  Peter's  feet,  were  especially  guilty, 
because  the  offering  which  they  counterfeited  was 
voluntary  and  not  by  constraint.  If  you  see  fit  to 
withhold  your  children  from  Baptism,  it  is  in  your 
power  to  do  so,  and  the  consequence  will  indeed  be 
a  loss  to  your  own  soul  and  to  them.  But  if  you 
propose  to  make  this  voluntary  offering,  you  must 
be  sincere  and  unreserved  in  the  consecration,  and 
faithful  afterward,  for  it  will  be  better  for  you  not 
to  vow  than  to  vow  and  not  pay. 

But  the  feelings  of  the  parents  should  not  be 
exclusively  those  of  overwhelming  responsibility. 
They  should  come  to  the  service  with  joy.  They 
have  an  immortal  soul  committed  to  their  care,  and 
it  will  be  a  relief  to  their  feelings  if  they  may 
secure  the  assistance  and  blessing  of  their  Maker 
in  training  it  up  for  Heaven.  By  dedicating  the 
child  to  God,  and  making  use  of  his  appointed 
ordinance  of  Baptism,  they  secure  for  the  child  the 
special  notice  of  God.  He  also  enters  into  engage- 
ments respecting  it.  This  will  not  lessen  the  sense 
of  responsibility  in  the  parents,  but  Avill  increase  it, 
and  at  the  same  time  mingle  with  it  a  feeling  of 
hope  and  confidence  that  will  strengthen  their  faith 
and  efforts. 


CHAPTER    IV. 

Benefits  of  Ijvfant  Baptism.  Benefits  to  the  Parents. 
I.  Deep  impression  of  parental  obligations.  Use  of  a  public 
consecration.  Answer  to  an  objection.  Use  of  the  ordinance  of 
Baptism.  Objection  answered.  II.  Pleasure  and  satisfaction 
afforded  by  the  ordinance.  The  Baptism  a  new  bond  for  the 
parents  to  the  love  and  service  of  God.  Influence  of  the  Baptism 
upon  the  mind  in  thinking  of  the  future.  Death  of  the  parents 
while  the  child  is  young.  The  dying  scene.  Influence  of  the 
Baptism  on  the  mind  of  a  dying  parent.  Influence  of  it  upon  the. 
parent  at  the  loss  of  a  child.  Reasons.  III.  Ground  of  religious 
appeal.  Trait  in  childhood  to  which  an  appeal  drawn  from  its 
Baptism  may  be  made.  God's  notice  of  it  when  an  infant. 
Prayers  of  a  Church  for  it. 

Benefits  to  the  child.  Objections  considered.  Investing 
property  for  an  infant.  Unconsciousness  of  a  benefit  no  objection 
to  it.  Right  of  parents  to  benefit  a  child  without  its  consent. 
I.  Baptism  of  a  child  properly  performed,  secures  to  the  child  the 
favour  of  God.  Simple  view  of  this  truth.  II.  Prayers  of  the 
Church.  lufluenee  of  these  prayers.  III.  Influence  of  Baptism 
on  the  child  by  its  influence  on  the  parents.  IV.  Thought  of  its 
Baptism  in  after  life,  a  ground  of  hope  and  prayer.  Testimony 
of  Matthew  Henry. 

The  benefits  of  Infant  Baptism  may  be  con- 
sidered, 1.  In  reference  to  the  parents,  and  2.  To  the 
child. 

The    benefits    to   the   parents   are    as   follows. 


56  THE    BAPTIZED    CHILD. 

1.  The  solemn  baptismal  service  in  the  presence  of 
many  witnesses  is  fitted  to  impress  very  deeply 
upon  the  parents  their  obligations  and  promises  in 
regard  to  their  children. 

Some  may  say,  If  we  dedicate  our  child  to  God 
at  home,  what  is  the  use  of  a  public  consecration  ? 

We  may  ask  in  reply,  If  you  dedicate  yourselves 
to  God  in  your  closets,  what  is  the  use  of  a  public 
profession  of  religion?  You  can  readily  answer 
the  latter  question.  '  I  must  profess  Christ  before 
men.  God  expects  me  to  own  my  obligations  to 
serve  Him  before  the  world.  I  must  do  good  by 
my  example.  I  shall  be  restrained  from  sin,  and 
prompted  to  duty,  by  remembering  my  public  pro- 
fession.' 

These  reasons  may  be  applied  in  the  case  of 
Infant  Baptism.  You  must  avouch  the  Lord 
Jehovah,  Father,  Son  and  Holy  Ghost  to  be  the 
God  and  portion  of  your  children,  before  angels 
and  men.  The  recollection  of  what  you  have 
done,  will  excite  you  to  greater  faithfulness.  The 
vows  in  public  will  have  tenfold  more  effect  upon 
your  mind  than  those  which  are  made  in  private. 

But  some  say.  Why  make  use  of  Baptism  in 
consecrating  children  to  God  ?  Why  not  bring 
them  to  the  House  of  God,  and  have  public  prayers 
for  them  without  using  the  form  of  Baptism  ?  We 
may  ask  again  in  reply,  Why  use  the  ordinance  of 
the  Lord's  Supper  when  we  would  in  a  particular 


USE    OF    THE     SEAL    OF    BAPTISM.  57 

manner  remember  the  Lord  Jesus?  Why  not 
come  to  the  House  of  God,  have  prayers  and  a 
sermon  suited  to  bring  the  Saviour  near  to  the 
mind,  and  not  use  the  ordinance  of  the  Supper  '' 
The  ready  answer  which  every  one  will  give,  is, 
There  is  something  in  the  sight  of  the  ordinance, 
in  taking  consecrated  emblems  into  our  hands,  that 
affects  the  mind  more  deeply  with  the  thoughts  of 
Christ,  than  silent  meditation  could  ever  do.  Our 
minds  are  affected  through  the  senses.  God 
remembers  this  in  appointing  the  ordinances  of  his 
worship,  and  while  He  does  not  burden  us  with 
forms  and  ceremonies.  He  retains  the  use  of  them 
to  a  limited  extent  in  Baptism  and  the  Lord's 
Supper.  The  parent  feels  that  Baptism  is  of 
divine  appointment,  and  is  deeply  impressed  by 
using  the  divine  rite  for  his  child  ;  and  the  minister, 
standing  before  the  parents  in  the  place  of  God, 
and  in  His  name  placing  the  seal  of  Heaven  upon 
the  infant,  exerts  a  greater  influence  upon  the 
parent  than  any  exhortations  could  do  without  the 
ordinance. 

2.  Another  benefit  to  the  parents,  of  Infant  Bap- 
tism, is,  The  pleasure  and  satisfaction  afforded  by 
the  ordinance. 

A  Christian  parent  who  loves  his  child  will  ever 
think  of  its  Baptism  with  delight.     It  is  a  satisfac- 
tion to  know  that  he  has  given  up  his  child  into 
the  hands  of  God,  and  that  God  has  engaged  to  be, 
*6 


58  THE    BAPTIZED    CHILD. 

in  a  special  manner,  the  God  of  him  and  of  his  seed. 
So  that  the  service  is  a  blessing  to  the  parent,  in 
the  feelings  which  ,it  occasions  towards  God,  as 
standing  in  a  new  relation  to  him  throngh  the 
child.  A  father  and  mother  are  conscious  of  a  new 
bond  of  love  in  and  through  their  children.  Thus 
the  dedication  of  a  child  to  God,  and  his  admission 
of  it  into  his  covenant,  makes  a  new  tie  for  a 
parent's  heart  to  the  love  and  service  of  his 
Maker. 

Whenever  a  parent,  who  has  had  his  child  bap- 
tized, feels  anxious  in  regard  to  the  future,  the 
recollection  of  the  baptismal  covenant  will  quiet 
his  mind.  If  the  parents  die  while  the  child  is 
young,  the  remembrance  of  its  dedication  to  God, 
and  the  confident  belief  that  it  was  received  into 
his  covenant,  will  help  them  to  look  at  it  from  the 
dying  pillow,  with  peace.  What  a  scene  is  this  ! 
A  parent  is  dying.  The  children  are  brought  in. 
God  only  can  describe  the  emotions  of  the  parent 
in  casting  the  eye  upon  the  children,  so  unconscious 
of  what  is  happening  to  them  in  losing  a  parent, 
so  ignorant  of  what  the  parent  knows  to  be  the 
dangers  of  the  world.  In  prayer,  the  dying  saint 
expresses  his  desire  for  the  blessing  of  God  upon 
his  children.  But  if  he  can  remember  that  when 
he  was  in  health  and  strength,  he  did  with  sincerity 
dedicate  those  children  to  God,  in  His  House,  and 
that  he  had  reason  to  believe  that  God  received 


THOUGHTS    OF    THE    BAPTISM,    IN    DEATH.  59 

them  into  his  covenant,  and  if  their  dedication  has 
been  followed  up  by  a  consistent  treatment  of  his 
children,  he  will  have  a  feeling  of  preparation  and 
readiness  to  die,  so  far  as  his  children  are  concerned, 
like  that  which  he  has  when  he  remembers  that 
he  has  not  neglected  repentance  till  the  dying 
hour.  Dying  parents  have  frequently  spoken  of 
their  children's  Baptism  in  a  way  that  showed  it  to 
be  one  of  the  richest  sources  of  comfort  this  side  of 
Heaven.  If  parents  would  always  regard  this 
service  with  proper  feelings,  and  make  it  more  of  a 
religious  service  than  many  do,  it  would  strengthen 
them  when  flesh  and  heart  are  failing. 

But  how  does  the  recollection  of  the  mere  service 
of  Baptism  add  anything  to  the  comfort  of  a  dying 
parent  ? 

Though  a  Christian  relies  upon  the  evidences 
of  piety  which  his  whole  life  aff"ords,  yet  in  times 
of  trouble,  and  especially  in  death,  he  recurs  with 
pleasure  to  seasons  of  special  covenanting  with 
God.  Every  one  who  has  not  been  superficial  in 
his  Christian  experience,  has  had  times  of  peculiar 
enjoyment  in  his  religious  life,  days  of  fasting  and 
prayer,  or  other  seasons  of  particular  interest,  when 
it  seemed  to  him  that  he  had  clear  evidence  of 
knowing  God  and  of  being  known  of  Him.  To 
these  seasons  the  mind  recurs  in  death  with  joy  and 
hope,  though  the  general  evidence  of  being  a  child 
of  God,  which  the  life  and  conduct  affords,  is  by  no 


60  THE    BAPTIZED    CHILD. 

means  to  be  overlooked.  So  it  is  a  relief  to  parents 
in  death  to  look  back  to  one  particular  act  of  con- 
secration made  solemn  by  the  services  of  the  House 
of  God  and  of  the  Sabbath. 

3.  i  Another  benefit  to  parents  of  baptizing  their 
children  is,  It  affords  them  in  after  life  a  ground 
of  religious  appeal  to  the  conscience  and  affections 
of  the  child. 

A  trait  in  childhood,  perhaps  as  strongly  marked 
as  any  other,  is  a  love  of  affectionate  notice  from 
others.  It  is  probable  that  the  reader,  recurring  to 
the  scenes  of  early  life,  will  find  that  those  who 
showed  him  special  kindness  in  childhood  made  an 
impression  upon  his  mind  which  is  amongst  his 
deepest  impressions  of  love  and  gratitude.  To  this 
peculiarity  in  the  child's  mind,  the  fact  of  having 
been  admitted  by  God  to  his  special  notice  and 
covenant,  makes  a  strong  appeal.  The  parent  tells 
the  child  that  in  infancy  it  was  presented  to  God, 
and  its  Maker  was  invoked  by  a  whole  congregation 
on  its  behalf,  and  that  God  from  that  time  regarded 
It  as  in  a  peculiar  sense  His  child  ;  that  now  the 
child  is  under  special  obligations  to  love  and  serve 
that  God  who  was  kind  to  it  when  it  was  helpless, 
and  had  mercy  on  it  when  it  was  offered  to  Him  in 
His  House  ;  that  for  a  whole  church  to  have  prayed 
to  God  for  it,  and  for  God  to  have  heard  their 
prayer,  makes  it  a  very  dreadful  thing  for  the  child 
to  be  otherwise  than  good,  and  that  if  it  is  inclined 


BENEFITS    OF    BAPTISM    TO    A    CHILD.  61 

to  be  good,  it  may  be  sure  that  God,  who  remembers 
its  Bajotism  and  his  covenant,  will  rejoice  to  help  its 
endeavours.  The  parents  will  find  great  assistance 
in  appealing  to  their  child's  feelings,  if  they  can 
thus  refer  in  particular  to  one  special  act  of  God's 
favour  towards  the  child.  When  it  has  witnessed 
the  Baptism  of  another  child,  it  may  be  made  to 
understand  that  all  which  was  done  for  that  infant 
on  the  part  of  God,  the  parents,  and  the  church, 
was  done  for  itself  in  its  infancy,  and  thence  an 
appeal  can  be  made  to  the  child's  feelings  and  con- 
science which  may  never  be  forgotten. 

Benefits  to  the  Child. 

After  what  has  been  said,  no  one  will  question 
the  benefits  of  Infant  Baptism,  even  though  they 
should  be  no  other  than  those  which  we  have  seen 
come  to  the  child  through  the  parents. 

But  some  ask.  Of  what  benefit  is  the  ordinance  to 
an  unconscious  infant  ? 

Suppose  that  a  friend  should  propose  to  invest 
property  for  your  infant,  and  should  wish  you  to 
sign  certain  papers,  would  you  say,  Of  what  benefit 
<;an  this  ceremony  be  to  an  unconscious  child? 
Would  you  indulge  in  expressions  of  ridicule  at  the 
thought  of  doing  such  a  thing  for  'a  senseless 
child '  ? 


62  THE    BAPTIZED    CHILD. 

Suppose  that  in  a  circle  that  had  met  for  prayer, 
a  mother  should  ask  you  to  offer  a  special  prayer 
for  the  young  children  of  those  who  were  present, 
would  you  say,  Of  what  benefit  can  it  be  to  the 
children  who  are  unconscious  that  we  are  praying 
for  them  ? 

Is  7iothing  useful  to  a  person  unless  he  is  con- 
scious of  it  at  the  time  i-ohen  it  is  done  for  him  1 

But  what  right  have  the  parents  thus  to  make 
engagements  for  the  child  without  its  consent  ? 

The  answer  is  found  in  the  general  principle 
that  we  may  benefit  another  without  his  consent. 

This  principle  is  often  acted  upon  in  private 
instances  of  charity.  The  only  question  that 
remains  then,  is,  Is  it  benefitting  the  child  or  not, 
to  surround  him  in  infancy  with  such  influences  as, 
when  he  grows  up,  will  incline  him  to  believe  the 
Christian  religion,  and  to  love  and  serve  God?  If 
there  is  any  improper  interference  with  the  child's 
freedom  in  so  doing,  we  must  do  nothing  for  our 
children  in  the  way  of  moral  influence  until  they 
may  have  grown  beyond  that  influence,  and  have 
had  time  to  be  corrupted  and  ruined.  "^ 

The  benefit  to  a  child  of  infant  Baptism  may  be 
seen  in  several  particulars. 

1.  It  secures  to  the  child  the  special  favour  of 
God. 

This  is  on  the  supposition  that  the  consecration 
is  made  by  the  parents  in  sincerity,  in  faith,  and  is 


SIMPLE    VIEW    OF    INFANT    BAPTISM.  63 

followed  by  consistent  conduct.  If  God  has  not  in 
any  manner  signified  His  will  that  the  admission  of 
children  into  covenant  with  Him,  through  their 
parents,  should  cease,  —  and  this  we  nowhere  find 
that  He  has  done,  — the  baptized  child  is  of  course 
received  into  a  special  relation  to  God. 

Suppose,  however,  that  there  had  never  been 
such  a  thing  as  admitting  the  children  of  believers 
into  a  peculiar  relation,  through  their  parents,  to 
God.  We  should  still  feel  authorized  to  practise 
infant  Baptism,  and  should  believe  that  it  secured 
the  special  favour  of  God  to  a  child ;  and  on  the 
following  grounds  :  Ba^  tism  is  the  sign  of  separation 
to  the  Christian  faith  ;  there  is  no  command  to 
restrict  it  to  believers :  '  Believe  and  be  baptized, 
no  more  excludes  an  infant  from  Baptism,  than 
'  believe  and  be  saved, '  excludes  it  from  salvation ; 
the  apostles  baptized  households,  and  it  is  as 
probable  that  there  were  children  in  them,  as  that 
there  were  not.  There  is  nothing  in  the  nature  of 
Baptism,  in  our  view,  to  hinder  it  from  being  given 
to  any,  at  the  request  of  a  responsible  Christian 
applicant  who  has  the  rightful  authority  and  a 
professed  religious  qualification  and  disposition,  to 
carry  out  in  his  treatment  of  the  subject  of  Bap- 
tism, the  solemn  and  important  meaning  of  the 
ordinance. 

Now  God  is  a  hearer  of  prayer.     He  enters  into 
covenant  with  those  who  in   a   suitable   manner 


64  THE    BAPTIZED    CHILD. 

covenant  with  Him.  If  a  Christian  parent  brings 
a  child  into  the  House  of  God,  and  receives  upon 
the  child  the  sign  of  separation  to  the  Christian 
faith,  thereby  entering  into  solemn  covenant  with 
God  to  bring  up  that  child  for  Him,  and  praying 
God  to  take  it  into  his  special  care,  we  cannot  doubt 
that  there  is  a  peculiar  relation  instituted  between 
that  child  and  God.  We  believe  that  the  act  of 
dedication  would  secure  it,  if  the  Abrahamic  cov- 
enant had  never  been  mentioned. 

But  when,  in  addition  to  this,  we  believe,  as  we 
have  before  observed,  that  God  still  regards  the 
children  of  his  people  as  in  covenant  with  Him,  we 
are  fully  authorized  in  saying  that  the  pious  and 
faithful  performance  of  the  act  of  infant  consecra- 
tion by  Baptism,  secures  to  the  child  the  special 
favour  of  God. 

2.  It  secures  to  the  child  the  prayers  of  the 
church  at  the  time  of  the  Baptism,  at  the  Lord's 
table,  and  in  the  circles  for  prayer. 

The  fact  of  the  public  consecration  of  the  children 
to  God,  and  of  their  holding  by  this  means  a  pecu- 
liar relation  to  God  and  to  the  church,  has  a  ten- 
dency to  interest  the  feelings  of  the  churches  in 
children. 

The  connection  between  these  prayers  and  their 
effects,  may  not  be  traced  out  by  the  child  in  this 
world :  but  in  Heaven  he  may  see  the  connection 


VALUE    OF    PIOUS    PARENTS.  65 

of  preservations,  and  blessings,  and  of  salvation, 
with  the  prayers  of  the  church  in  his  behalf,  secured 
by  his  being  a  child  of  the  covenant. 

3.  Infant  Baptism,  if  properly  understood  and 
performed  by  the  parents,  will  secure  to  the  child 
the  highest  measure  of  pious  parental  influence. 

Anything  that  will  make  parents  faithful  and 
prayerful  with  their  children  is  of  great  benefit  to 
the  child.  Who  can  speak  of  the  value  of  pious 
parents  to  a  child !  How  many  of  our  race  will 
place  this  in  their  future  songs  of  praise  as  the  first 
of  earthly  blessings ! 

(  We  have  seen  that  the  influence  of  Infant  Bap- 
tism on  a  parent  is  one  of  the  most  powerful  means 
to  secure  faithfulness  in  bringing  up  the  child  for 
God.  It  is  therefore  an  important  benefit  to  a  child 
to  be  baptized  by  pious,  conscientious  parents  ;  and 
none  but  those  who  trust  they  are  such,  we  should 
hope,  would  baptize  their  children. 

4.  The  thoughts  of  its  Baptism  will  afl'ord  the 
child  a  ground  of  hope  and  prayer  in  after  life,  and 
especially  at  the  time  of  its  conversion. 

There  are  moments,  especially  when  the  Spirit 
of  God  is  striving  with  us,  when  anything  that  can 
keep  the  soul  from  despair,  and  encourage  hope,  is 
of  great  importance.  At  such  times  it  will  be 
natural  for  a  child  who  has  been  faithfully  taught 
the  nature  of  his  Baptism,  and  the  relation  in 
which  he  thereby  stands  to  God  and  God  to  him, 
7 


66  THE    BAPTIZED    CHILD. 

to  appeal  to  his  Maker  on  the  ground  of  the  cov- 
enant made  for  him  by  his  parents.  '  O  Lord,  I 
am  thy  servant ;  I  am  thy  servant  and  the  son  of 
of  thine  handmaid.'  ^  Thou  art  the  God  that  took 
me  from  my  birth ;  I  was  cast  upon  thee  when  a 
child.'  Who  can  doubt  that  a  child  that  has  been 
told  that  it  was  baptized,  and  has  been  made 
to  understand  what  Baptism  implies,  will  find 
occasions  through  life,  and  some  of  them  having  a 
momentous  bearing  upon  his  destiny,  when  he  will 
be  led  with  great  effect  to  plead  the  covenant  of  a 
covenant-keeping  God  ? 

Here,  as  a  specimen  of  the  testimony  of  pious 
men  to  the  influence  of  their  Infant  Baptism  in 
after  life,  I  will  quote  the  testimony  of  Matthew 
Henry.  ''  I  cannot  but  take  occasion  to  express 
my  gratitude  to  God  for  my  Infant  Baptism :  not 
only  as  it  was  an  early  admission  into  the  visible 
body  of  Christ,  but  as  it  furnished  my  parents  with 
a  good  argument,  and  I  trust,  through  grace,  a 
prevailing  argument,  for  an  early  dedication  of  my- 
self to  God  in  my  childhood.  If  God  has  wrought 
any  good  ivork  upon  my  soul,  I  desire  with  humble 
thankfulness,  to  acknowledge  the  influence  of  my 
infant  Baptism  upon  it.* 

*  Life,  60  p.  I.  Vol.,  Commentary.    London,  1828, 


CHAPTER    VII. 


To  A  Baptized  Child.  God's  favour  in  infancy.  The  scene 
of  Baptism.  God's  notice  of  the  child.  The  Saviour's  feelings. 
His  recollections  of  his  own  infancy.  His  interest  in  the  dedica- 
tion of  an  infant.  His  thoughts  at  the  sight.  The  prayer. 
God  remembers  the  Baptism.  His  feelings  towards  the  baptized 
child.  His  wishes  for  its  welfare.  Kindness  of  God  to  the 
child.  The  child  must  have  confidence  in  God's  feelings  towards 
it.,  God  regards  the  baptized  child  as  His  own.  His  rejection 
of  it,  if  it  will  not  love  and  serve  Him. 

To  A  Baptized  Youth.  God's  favour  in  infancy.  The  piety 
of  the  youth  supposed.  Duty  of  a  Baptized  pious  youth.  God's 
interview  with  Solomon.  Observance  of  the  Anniversary  of 
Baptism.  An  impenitent  baptized  youth.  Expostulation. 
Death  of  one  or  both  of  the  youth's  parents.  Thoughts  and 
feelings  of  the  parent  in  Heaven.  Meeting  of  an  impenitent 
baptized  youth  and  the  glorified  parent.  Address  of  the  parent. 
The  farewell.  Contrast  to  such  experience  upon  repentance. 
Appeal  to  the  youth  whose  parents  are  living.  A  pious  youth  at 
his  parent's  dying  bed.  Parents  at  the  dying  bed  of  a  pious  child. 
Meeting  of  a  pious  child  with  his  parents  in  Heaven  after  a  life  of 
usefulness.  Form  of  consecration.  Appeal  to  one  who  has 
renounced  his  parents'  faith. 

To  a  Baptized  Child. 

Perhaps  you  were  an  infant,  asleep,  when  you 
were  brought  to  the  House  of  God  to  be  baptized. 
You  of  course  knew  nothing  of  what  was  doing 


68  THE    BAPTIZED    CHILD. 

for  you.  But  God  who  is  everywhere  present, 
saw  you  when  you  came  into  His  House.  The 
Saviour  saw  you,  and  remembered  that  He  was 
once  an  infant  Hke  you,  in  the  arms  of  his  mother. 
Whenever  an  infant  is  brought  into  the  House  of 
God,  it  must  be  that  the  Saviour  looks  at  it  with 
great  kindness  and  love.  AVhen  He  was  on  earth, 
infants  were  brought  to  Him  that  He  might  touch 
them,  and  He  said,  Suffer  the  little  children  to  come 
unto  me,  and  forbid  them  not :  for  of  such  is  the 
kingdom  of  God.  Now  the  Bible  says  that  Christ 
is  the  same  yesterday,  to-day,  and  forever ;  and  of 
course.  He  has  the  same  feelings  towards  children 
now  as  He  had  on  earth. 

Without  doubt,  the  Saviour  looked  down  upon 
you  with  great  tenderness,  when  you  were  brought 
into  the  House  of  God  to  be  baptized. 

Perhaps  He  thought,  as  He  looked  upon  you, 
"  Here  is  an  infant :  it  does  not  know  where  it 
is,  or  what  they  are  doing  with  it.  But  it  has  a 
soul  which  is  to  live  forever,  and  it  will  grow  to 
be  like  an  angel,  or  a  wicked  spirit.  This  is  one 
of  the  souls  for  which  I  died  on  Calvary.  Its 
father  or  mother,  or  both,  love  me,  and  I  love  them  ; 
and  they  have  come  to  give  me  this  child,  that  it 
may  have  my  blessing,  and  if  it  grows  up,  be  good 
and  useful  in  the  world.  I  will  look  into  the 
parents'  hearts  and  see  if  they  really  wish  me  to 
take  the  child  to  be  mine ;  and  if  they  do,  I  will. 


THE    PRAYER    AT    BAPTISM.  ,     69 

I  will  hear  the  prayers  which  are  offered  for  the 
child,  and  if  it  is  good  as  it  grows  up,  it  shall  be  a 
lamb  in  my  flock." 

Then  the  congregation  rose,  and  the  minister 
prayed  that  the  Saviour  would  take  you  to  be  His 
child  and  love  you  forever.  He  prayed  that  you 
might  live,  and  know  Christ,  and  what  He  has  done 
for  you ;  that  you  might  early  be  pious,  a  comfort 
to  your  parents,  and  a  blessing  to  a  great  many 
souls,  and  that  you  might  be  seen  in  Heaven  with 
your  parents  praising  God.  Then  he  said  what 
your  parents  would  have  said  if  they  had  spoken : 
God,  Thou  hast  given  us  this  child ;  and  we  come 
to  give  it  up  to  Thee.  Thou  madest  it,  and  hast 
breathed  its  soul  into  it,  and  it  belongs  to  Thee,  and 
to  Thee  it  shall  be  given.  Look  upon  this  child  as 
consecrated  to  Thee,  and  help  us  to  remember,  when 
we  carry  it  away,  that  we  are  to  take  care  of  it  for 
God,  and  to  teach  it  how  to  love  and  please  God 
early.  We  give  it  to  the  Saviour,  who  himself  was 
once  a  child  ;  who  came  into  the  world  to  save 
sinners,  and  who  wishes  to  save  this  child.  We 
promise  that  we  will  begin  early  to  teach  it  about 
the  Saviour,  and  we  will  endeavor  to  make  it  feel 
that  it  has  been  given  to  Christ,  and  that  it  will  be 
delightful  for  it  to  love  Him  early,  and  to  be  loved, 
as  it  will  then  be,  by  Him. 

When  it  grows  up,  let  it  not  forget  God.  If  its 
father  and  mother  die  when  it  is  young,  take  care 


70  THE    BAPTIZED    CHILD. 

of  it,  and  remember  that  we  have  given  it  to  Thee. 
If  it  shall  be  wicked,  and  will  not  love  what  is 
right,  and  dies  wicked,  we  know  that  God  must 
shut  it  out  of  Heaven,  for  Thou  hast  said,  '  If  you 
seek  me,  I  will  be  found  of  thee,  but  if  you  forsake 
me,  I  will  cast  thee  off  forever.' 

But,  may  this  child  live  in  Heaven  with  us, 
having  been  good  and  useful  in  the  world.  When 
it  is  old  enough  to  understand  what  was  done  to  it, 
its  being  baptized  shall  make  it  feel  that  it  belongs 
to  Christ,  and  that  it  cannot  refuse  to  love  Him 
without  being  ungrateful  to  the  Saviour,  who  was 
kind  to  it  when  an  infant.  May  its  Baptism 
always  come  to  its  mind  when  it  shall  be  tempted 
to  do  or  say  anything  wicked.  May  it  remember 
that  God  still  sees  it,  as  He  did  when  it  was  bap- 
tized, and  that  He  will  be  grieved  with  it  if  it  is 
not  good,  but  will  love  it  if  it  is  a  good  child,  and 
take  care  of  it,  and  Christ  will  prepare  a  place  for 
it  in  Heaven. 

Then  you  were  baptized  in  the  name  of  the 
Father,  and  of  the  Son,  and  of  the  Holy  Ghost. 

It  was  the  same  as  though  the  minister  said, 
u  -yy-g  gjyg  ^j^jg  Q^Yildi  to  God  the  Father  ; "  and  God 
the  Father  had  answered,  so  that  all  the  congrega- 
tion could  hear,  ''  I  will  love  and  bless  this  child, 
if  it  does  not  refuse  my  love  now  promised  to  it ;  " 
and  the  minister  had  added,  We  give  this  child  to 
its  Saviour,  Jesus  Christ ;  and  Christ  had  answered, 


GOD    REMEMBERS    THE    BAPTISM.  71 

''Of  such  is  the  kingdom  of  God  ;  —  I  love  them  that 
love  me,  and  they  that  seek  me  early  shall  find  me  ": 
We  give  this  child  to  the  Holy  Ghost ;  and  the  Holy 
Ghost  had  breathed  His  blessing  upon  you. 

God  remembers  your  Baptism.  He  has  often 
looked  to  see  if  your  parents  teach  you,  and  pray 
with  you,  as  they  promised  they  would  do,  when 
they  carried  you  away  from  the  Baptism,  as  a  child 
given  them  to  bring  up  for  Heaven. 

God  remembers  your  Baptism.  Perhaps  you 
pray  to  Him  when  you  are  alone.  He  hears  your 
voice  and  looks  into  your  heart,  and  knows  how 
you  feel.  For  when  you  were  baptized  He  made 
this  promise.  If  you  seek  me  I  will  be  found  of  you. 

Now  though  you  are  young,  God  knows  you 
and  sees  you.  The  same  God  that  watched  the 
infant  Moses  when  he  lay  in  his  ark  by  the  riv- 
er side,  and  kept  him  safe  till  the  king's  daughter 
found  him  and  gave  him  back  to  his  mother, 
watches  you  when  you  sleep,  and  when  you 
wake,  and  all  day  long.  The  same  God  that  was 
in  the  temple  where  Samuel  slept,  and  that  spoke 
in  the  night,  and  said,  '  Samuel !  Samuel  ! '  now 
sees  you ;  and  indeed  you  are  never  out  of  his 
sight. 

God  wishes  you  to  come  to  Heaven  with  your 
parents  when  you  die,  and  there  He  will  make  you 
happy.  And  now  He  wishes  you  to  begin  to  love 
Him  and  pray  to  Him,  and  He  will  certainly  love 


72  THE    BAPTIZED    CHILD. 

you.  He  wishes  you  to  be  good  to  your  parents, 
always  to  mind  what  they  say,  and  never  to  do 
anything  that  will  give  them  pain. 

He  wishes  you  to  be  kind  and  gentle  to  other 
children  ]  to  do  what  is  right  before  them,  so  as  to 
make  them  love  God.  He  wishes  you  to  read  the 
Bible,  for  it  is  His  book,  and  to  think  much  of 
what  you  read.  He  wishes  you  to  love  the 
Saviour,  and  to  think  what  that  Saviour  has  done 
for  you  in  becoming  a  child  like  you,  and  at  last 
dying,  that  your  sins  and  ours  may  be  forgiven. 
Is  it  not  kind  in  God  thus  to  think  of  you,  and  to 
Avish  so  much  to  make  you  happy  ?  It  is  very  kind. 
Of  course  you  wish  to  thank  Him  when  you  pray 
to  Him,  and  ask  Him  to  be  your  friend  forever,  and 
to  help  you  to  be  as  good  as  He  and  your  parents 
wish  you  to  be. 

You  must  never  feel  that  God  is  not  willing  to 
hear  your  prayers.  You  must  never  be  afraid  to 
pray  to  Him ;  if  you  have  done  wrong,  you  must 
go  to  Him,  as  well  as  to  your  parents,  and  confess 
your  sin  and  forsake  it.  He  loves  to  forgive  chil- 
dren when  they  repent,  and  if  you  ask  Him,  He 
will  help  you  to  be  good  when  you  are  tempted  to 
sin.  I  have  only  one  thing  more  to  say.  God 
looks  upon  you  as  His  child.  Your  parents  gave 
you  to  Him,  when  you  were  baptized.  The 
minister  and  the  church  gave  you  to  God  in  their 
prayers.     Angels  from  Heaven  saw  you  when  you 


A    BAPTIZED    YOUTH.  73 

were  given  to  God.  Now,  will  you  not  be  a  child 
of  God  ?  If  you  will,  He  will  certainly  love  you. 
If  you  are  not  willing,  but  prefer  to  be  wicked, 
you  must  know  that  all  who  are  not  the  children 
of  God,  are  called  in  the  Bible  the  children  of  the 
Wicked  One.  And  all  such  must  be  sent  away 
after  death,  to  live  with  that  wicked  one.  But 
God  will  keep  you  from  him,  if  you  will  give  your- 
self to  God  as  your  parents  gave  you  to  Him  when 
you  were  baptized.  He  will  defend  you  while 
you  live,  so  that  nothing  will  happen  to  you  which 
will  not  in  the  end  be  good  for  you.  He  will  at 
last  give  you  a  place  at  His  right  hand  in  Heaven, 
there  to  be  happy  without  end.  You  must  there- 
fore make  no  delay,  but  immediately  go  before  God 
in  prayer,  and  ask  Him  to  be  your  God,  and  tell 
Him  that  you  would  be  His  child. 

To  a  Baptized  Youth. 

You  have  grown  up  beyond  childhood,  and  have 
long  been  old  enough  to  know  and  love  God.  You 
have  been  baptized  in  the  name  of  the  Father,  the 
Son,  and  the  Holy  Ghost,  and  God  engaged  at  your 
Baptism  to  be  your  God,  if  you  would  be  his  child. 
He  gave  you  to  pious  parents  that  you  might  early 
be  taught  to  love  and  fear  Him.  It  was  a  special 
favour  to  you  that  God  gave  you  to  pious  parents. 


74  THE     BAPTIZED    CHILD. 

Have  you  ever  given  yourself  to  God  to  be  His 
child  ?  Do  you  love  God,  and  do  you  hope  that 
He  loves  you  ?  Are  you  ever  so  happy  as  when 
you  have  prayed,  confessing  your  sins  and  asking 
God  to  forgive  and  love  you  ?  Are  you  confident 
that  when  you  die,  God  will  take  you  to  Heaven, 
and  does  it  give  you  joy  to  think  of  being  in 
Heaven  with  God  ?  If  so,  you  have  the  highest 
reason  to  be  thankful  and  happy.  What  return 
can  you  make  to  God  for  his  kindness  to  you  ?  It 
is  your  duty  and  privilege  to  devote  yourself  to 
God's  service  and  glory.  It  should  be  your  great 
question,  How  can  I  best  please  God  ?  Make  this 
question  the  rule  by  which  you  live,  and  by  which 
you  form  your  plans  for  future  life.  For,  you  are 
not  your  own  ;  you  have  been  consecrated  to  God ; 
you  belong  to  the  Father,  and  to  the  Son,  and  to 
the  Holy  Ghost,  by  the  covenant  of  Baptism. 
What  an  honour  to  be  thus  related  to  your  Maker ! 
Now  let  it  be  your  chief  desire  to  do  and  to  be  that 
which  will  best  please  God. 

If  you  ask  Him  to  direct  you  for  this  purpose, 
He  will  be  pleased  to  do  it.  You  remember  the 
story  of  Solomon.  God  appeared  to  him  in  the 
night  and  said,  Ask  what  I  shall  do  for  thee.  And 
Solomon  prayed  for  heavenly  wisdom  that  he  might 
in  the  highest  and  best  manner  glorify  God.  And 
God   said.   Because  thou    hast   not   asked   riches, 


ANNIVERSARY     OF    BAPTISM.  75 

wealth,  nor  honour,  nor  long  life  —  wisdom  and 
knowledge  is  granted  nnto  thee,  and  I  will  give 
thee  riches  and  wealth  and  honour. 

Now  God  says,  '  In  all  thy  ways  acknowledge 
me,  and  I  will  direct  thy  paths.'  If  you  thus 
acknowledge  Him,  you  may  confidently  say,  '  Thou 
wilt  guide  me  by  thy  counsel,  and  afterwards  re- 
ceive me  to  glory.' 

Beside  your  daily  prayers  of  consecration  to  God, 
it  will  be  profitable  for  you  to  find  out  the  day  when 
you  were  baptized,  and  keep  that  day  yearly,  as  a 
special  season  of  thanksgiving,  and  of  renewing 
your  consecration  to  God.  You  will  not  forget  to 
do  the  same  on  your  birthday,  consecrating,  with 
solemn  prayer,  your  body,  soul  and  spirit,  to  God, 
and  thinking  how  solemn  and  important  a  thing  it 
is  to  have  been  born  ;  and  that  the  favour  of  God 
alone  can  prevent  it  from  being  an  everlasting  and 
dreadful  curse,  and  that  with  his  blessing,  eternal 
life  in  Heaven  will  be  the  delightful  and  glorious 
consequence. 

Thus,  till  you  die,  as  we  trust  you  will  through 
eternity,  bless  and  praise  God  for  your  Baptism, 
and  renew  that  consecration  through  life,  and  in 
your  dying  hour,  which,  in  the  morning  of  your 
life  was  like  the  dew   of  Heaven  upon  your  spirit. 

It  may  be,  that  my  young  friend  is  not  yet  a 
Christian.      You   have    never    acknowledged   the 


76  THE     BAPTIZED    CHILD. 

consecration  which  your  parents  made  of  you 
when  you  were  baptized.  God  has  been  waiting 
for  you  to  do  it.  To-day,  He  will  rejoice  to  keep 
His  covenant  with  you,  if  you  will  call  upon  Him 
in  prayer. 

Perhaps  the  father  or  mother  who  held  you  in 
their  arms  when  you  were  baptized,  is  dead. 
Those  lips  can  no  longer  pray  for  you ;  that  hand 
can  lio  more  press  yours  in  prayer ;  the  heart  that 
beat  with  joy  at  the  sound  of  your  young  footsteps 
is  still ;  the  eye  that  shed  tears  for  you,  that  you 
might  not  perish,  is  closed  till  the  judgment  day. 

But  in  Heaven  your  parent  thinks  of  you  contin- 
ually. That  departed  spirit  looks  round  upon 
Heaven,  and  says,  Will  my  child  dwell  here  with 
me  ?  It  sees  whole  families,  in  little  circles,  in 
Heaven,  rejoicing  together  at  each  other's  salvation  ; 
the  parents  blessing  God  that  their  children  are 
saved,  and  the  children  praising  Him  that  they  are 
not  separated  from  their  parents.  At  such  a  sight 
your  parent  says,  Shall  my  family  meet  together 
thus  ?  and  then  the  thought  of  your  having  been 
baptized  in  the  name  of  the  Father,  the  Son,  and 
the  Holy  Ghost,  with  a  most  sincere  consecration, 
attended  and  followed  with  earnest  prayers  and 
faithful  instructions,  inspires  the  hope  that  you  will 
come  to  Heaven  when  you  die. 

When  a  departed  spirit  from  this  earth  enters 
the  heavenly   world,  there  is  doubtless  great  joy 


MEETING  WITH  A  DEPARTED  PARENT.      77 

and  welcomings  from  those  already  there.  With 
what  interest  may  we  suppose  a  parent  in  Heaven 
hears  it  announced  that  another  soul  has  come  to 
join  their  number,  hoping  that  it  is  its  child. 
Thus,  it  may  be,  your  departed  parent  thinks  of 
you ;  but  alas!  as  you  now  are,  your  entrance  into 
eternity  will  only  occasion  sorrow. 

Perhaps  you  would  meet  your  parent  as  you 
entered  the  world  of  spirits.  You  would  probably 
find  that  parent  a  glorified  spirit,  arrayed  in  shining 
garments,  its  countenance  beaming  Avith  happiness, 
its  voice  full  of  music.  The  parent  would  imme- 
diately see  by  your  affrighted  look  and  trembling 
voice  that  you  were  not  found  ready  to  die,  that 
you  had  not  made  God  your  friend,  Christ  your 
Saviour,  nor  Heaven  your  home. 

My  child,  your  parent  would  say,  Are  you  indeed 
impenitent  ?  You  were  taught  what  you  must  do 
to  be  saved.  I  gave  you  to  God  in  Baptism,  and 
there  was  everything  in  your  case  to  make  it  easy 
for  you  to  be  a  pious  child.  You  have  forsaken 
the  guide  of  your  youth,  and  forgotten  the  covenant 
of  your  God  ;  I  can  do  nothing  for  you.  —  Farewell 
my  child,  till  the  judgment  day,  and  then,  farewell 
forever ! 

Can  you  endure  the  thought  of  such  a  meeting 
with  your  departed  parent,  and  of  such  a  separation  ? 
And  must  it  not  take  place  unless  you  are  changed 
8 


78  THE    BAPTIZED    CHILD. 

from  what  you  now  are  ?  Soon  you  may  die,  and 
realize  all  that  I  have  described. 

Instead  of  this,  a  happy  life,  a  calm  death,  and  a 
joyful  meeting  with  the  departed,  may  be  yours. 
You  have  been  dedicated  to  God  in  Baptism,  so 
that  now,  if  you  will  return  to  God,  He  will  receive 
you.  Though  you  have  neglected  it  so  long,  it  is 
not  too  late.  God,  and  Christ,  and  the  Spirit  of 
Grace  will  rejoice  to  own  you  as  their  child.  And 
if  there  is  joy  in  the  presence  of  the  angels  of  God 
over  a  sinner  that  repenteth,  the  news  of  your  re- 
pentance may  reach  your  pare  nts  and  friends  in 
Heaven,  and  make  them  more  happy  than  we 
can  describe. 

It  may  be  that  3^our  parents  are  yet  living. 
Nothing  would  give  them  more  joy,  if  they  are 
Christians,  than  to  see  you  devoting  yourself  to 
God. 

You  may  soon  stand  at  their  dying  bed  ,•  how 
happy  will  you  make  them  if  they  can  then  look 
upon  you  and  feel  that  there  is  a  probability  of  your 
meeting  them  in  Heaven  ! 

Perhaps  they  may  soon  be  called  to  see  you  die. 
If  you  have  become  a  Christian,  you  and  they  will 
rejoice  at  the  prospect  of  having  a  home  in  Heaven, 
where  death  cannot  enter.  And  then,  when  you 
are  gone,  the  belief  that  you  are  in  Heaven  will 
make  them  happy,  and  lead  them  to  think  of  dying, 
with  the  delightful  hope  of  seeing  their  child  a 
glorified  spirit. 


FORM     OF    DEDICATION.  79 

Again,  if  you  survive  them,  and  are  useful  in  the 
world,  how  glad  will  you  make  them,  in  Heaven, 
by  all  that  you  will  have  been  permitted  to  do  for 
Christ  on  earth,  and  how  happy  will  they  be  in 
recollecting  that  their  dedication  of  you  to  God  was 
not  in  vain. 

Do  you  ask,  What  shall  I  do  ?  Go  before  God 
in  prayer,  and  tell  Him  that  you  have  come  to 
renew  the  dedication  that  was  made  of  you  in 
Baptism. 

Then  give  yourself  away  to  God  in  some  such 
words  as  these  :  My  God  and  Father,  Saviour  of 
my  soul,  and  Holy  Spirit  —  to  whom  I  was  given 
wh€n  1  was  a  child  —  I  feel  that  it  is  my  duty  to 
love  Thee  with  all  my  heart.  Thou  wast  good  to 
me  when  I  did  not  know  it  :  Thou  hast  given  me 
pious  friends  to  pray  for  me  and  to  dedicate  me  to 
God.  Although  I  was  not  able  to  give  my  consent 
to  that  dedication,  I  rejoice  that  it  was  made,  and  1 
now  come  to  do  myself  what  was  then  done  for 
me.  I  now  give  myself  to  God,  and  from  this  time 
I  will  say.  My  Father,  thou  art  the  guide  of  my 
youth.  I  give  myself  away  to  the  Great  Redeemer, 
who  loved  me,  and  gave  himself  for  me ;  I  bless 
Him  that  He  was  willing  to  be  a  child,  that  He 
was  once  young  like  me,  though  He  also  made 
earth,  and  Heaven,  and  all  things.  To  this  Saviour, 
great  and  glorious  as  He  is  kind,  I  now  give  myself 
away,  to  love  and  serve  Him  forever.  I  give  myself 
up  to  the  Holy  Ghost,  beseeching  Him  to  dwell  in 


80  THE     BAPTIZED    CHILD. 

me,  and  make  me  pure  in  heart,  to  correct  all  that  is 
wrong  in  my  temper,  disposition,  and  feelings,  and 
to  fill  me  with  the  love  of  God,  and  fit  me  to  serve 
Him  here  and  enjoy  Him  forever. 

You  cannot  pray  in  this  manner,  with  sincerity, 
and  then  act  accordingly,  but  God  will  hear  you, 
and  remember  his  covenant,  and  be  your  God. 
Then  all  things  are  yours :  whether  life  or  death, 
things  present  and  things  to  come,  all  are  yours  j 
and  you  are  Christ's,  and  Christ  is  God's. 

It  may  be  that  you,  who  now  read  these  lines? 
were  baptized  in  infancy  by  pious  parents,  but 
have  renounced  the  faith  which  was  their  comfort 
and  hope  in  life  and  death.  Perhaps  you  have 
joined  yourself  to  those  who  reject  the  truths  which 
they  thought  essential  to  salvation,  and  in  the 
belief  of  which  you  were  baptized.  Their  God  you 
may  have  forsaken,  their  Saviour  you  may  have 
denied,  and  the  Holy  Ghost,  whom  they  adored 
and  loved,  you  may  have  grieved.  Some  tempta- 
tion, perhaps,  has  lured  you  away  from  the  path  of 
your  parents.  For  the  sake  of  praise,  or  favour, 
or  gain,  or  pleasure,  you  may  have  cast  off  the 
covenant  which  God  made  with  your  parents  on 
your  behalf.  Or,  without  any  obvious  reason,  you 
are  reckless  of  religion,  and  of  your  soul. 

Are  those  parents  in  Heaven  ?  They  can  never 
cease  to  think  of  you  ;  they  are  waiting  to  hear  of 
your  return  to  that  covenant  which  they  made  for 


EXPOSTULATION.  81 

you  with  God.  It  is  possible  that  you  may  be 
brought  back.  I  speak  on  the  supposition  that  you 
are  fighting  against  convictions,  and  are  determined 
not  to  be  converted.  God  may  affect  your  mind 
by  that  silent  power  which  has  brought  hundreds 
like  you  to  think  on  their  ways,  and  return  from 
their  apostacy.  Or  He  may  send  trouble  upon  3^ou, 
and  bring  you  back  by  His  rod.  You  may  indeed 
be  an  exception  to  the  general  rule  of  His  grace  as 
a  covenant-keeping  God ;  but  it  is  in  vain  for  you 
to  entrench  yourself  by  arguments  and  bad  influ- 
ences against  His  mercy.  If  you  do  not  provoke 
Him  to  cast  you  off  forever,  the  same  power  that 
smote  Saul  to  the  earth,  the  still  small  voice  that 
made  Elijah  hide  his  face  in  his  mantle  when  he 
had  withstood  the  thunder  and  whirlwind,  can  yet 
bring  you  to  repentance  ;  though  this  affords  you 
no  ground  for  presumption.  You  are  a  baptized 
child,  and  you  know  it  ,•  you  belong  to  Father, 
Son,  and  Holy  Ghost,  and  you  cannot  longer 
refuse  to  hear  the  voice  of  your  conscience,  or  to 
yield  to  those  cords  of  love  which  now  are  drawing 
you  into  covenant  with  your  Saviour,  without 
danger  of  being  separated  from  your  parents  and  of 
being  abandoned  of  God  forever. 
*8 


CHAPTER    VIII. 

Words  to  a  Husband,  who  has  offered  his  child  on  the  ground 
of  the  mother's  faith.  Evidence  of  kind  feeling  on  his  part. 
Feelings  of  a  minister  and  of  Christians  towards  him.  Present 
difference  between  the  parents  may  be  eternal.  Consequences. 
The  mother  and  child  in  Heaven.  The  father  lost.  His 
recollections  of  home.  Appeal  to  him  from  God's  goodness  in 
giving  him  a  child.  Obligation  and  inducement  to  consecrate 
himself  to  God. 

Refusal  of  a  husband  to  have  his  child  baptized.  Unfavorable 
influence  on  his  character.  Effects  of  the  opposite  conduct. 
Cases  of  the  first  kind.  Consequence  of  injudicious  marriage. 
Duty  of  the  wife  and  friends  in  the  case.  Discipline  of  the 
mother  in  faith  and  prayer.  Wives  of  impenitent  husbands. 
Influence  of  either  upon  the  other  a  decided  one.  The  wife's 
danger  and  duty. 

A  household  without  religion.  An  infant  placed  there.  Meditations 
upon  such  a  house.  The  parents  poor.  Life  not  the  only  season 
of  trouble  and  sorrow  to  the  impenitent.  Appeal  from  their 
children.  Feelings  of  children  in  eternity  towards  irreligious 
parents.  The  dwelling  of  the  rich.  Children  and  other  blessings. 
Susceptibilities  to  pleasure.  Prospect  beyond  the  grave.  The 
whole  family  in  hell.  The  whole  family  in  Heaven.  Fearful 
responsibility  of  impenitent  parents.  Dedication  of  themselves 
and  children  urged. 

Baptism;  in  the  Mother^ s  name. 

It  is  pleasing  to  see  a  man  who  is  not  a  member 
of  the  church,  or  by  profession  a  Christian,  ready 
and  wiUing  to  assist  his  wife   in   presenting  her 


FUTURE  RECOLLECTIONS  OF  HOME.       83 

child  for  Baptism.  It  is  an  evidence  that  shame 
does  not  triumph  over  his  respect  and  affection  for 
his  wife  and  the  mother  of  his  children,  and  that 
the  fear  of  man  that  bringeth  a  snare  has  not  wholly 
entwined  itself  about  his  conscience.  The  man 
who  truly  promises  to  respect  and  honour  his  wife, 
will  remember  that  he  is  to  respect  her  conscience 
and  honour  her  fear  of  the  Lord ;  and  he  will  do 
this  when  she  wishes  to  offer  her  child  in  Baptism, 
though  he  knows  that  he  will  be  condemned  by  it 
for  not  being  able  to  offer  the  child  in  his  own 
name. 

Though  one  feeling  which  we  have  in  seeing  a 
man  do  this,  is  that  of  respect  for  the  submission 
of  his  own  feelings  to  those  of  his  wife,  we  cannot 
repress  other  feelings,  and  it  may  be  proper  to  state 
them  here. 

We  always  think.  Shall  the  wide  separation, 
which  now  exists  between  these  parents,  continue 
forever,  and  one  of  them  be  in  Heaven,  while  the 
other  is  lost  ?  Shall  this  father  look  up  towards 
Heaven  from  his  future  abode  in  eternity,  and  say, 
'  I  might  have  been  there  with  my  family,  had  1 
been  wise  to  know  what  Avas  for  my  peace  !  '  Shall 
he  look  round  upon  scenes  of  guilt  and  torment 
in  hell,  and  remember  the  fireside  and  the  home 
that  smiled  at  his  coming  in,  the  wife  of  his  youth, 
and  the  children  whose  footsteps  and  voices  once 
made  him  think  that  he  was  the  happiest  man  on 
earth  I 


84  THE    BAPTIZED    CHILD. 

It  is  affecting  to  see  such  a  man  hold  up  his  child 
for  Baptism.  God  has  placed  the  little  creature  in 
his  care,  and  now  he  seems  to  present  it  to  his 
Maker  as  an  expression  of  gratitude,  and  of  desire 
for  His  blessing  ;  but  on  the  part  of  its  mother 
alone  !  Why  not  on  his  part  ?  Shall  God  giA^e 
you  a  child,  and  his  goodness  not  lead  you  to 
repentance  ?  Can  you  hold  up  such  a  proof  of 
God's  love  as  a  child  is,  and  not  give  your  own 
self  to  the  Lord  ?  Does  not  such  a  scene  bear 
witness  to  the  duty  and  obligation  of  loving  God  ? 
and  is  it  not  a  delightful  opportunity  for  you  to 
consecrate  yourself  to  God,  when  you  come  to  His 
temple  with  His  gift  in  your  hands,  and  draw 
so  near  to  Him  in  an  act  of  dedication?  If  the 
reader  is  one  who  has  offered  up  his  children  for 
Baptism  in  their  mother's  name,  remember  that  God 
says,  'I  will  be  a  God  to  tJtee  and  to  thy  seed; ' 
and  let  His  goodness  lead  you  to  repentance.  You 
will  remember  these  scenes  of  your  children's  con- 
secration in  eternity :  Shall  it  be  with  them,  in 
Heaven  ?  That  happiness  is  now  within  your 
reach. 

The  cases  are  rare,  and  yet  they  do  occur,  in 
which  fathers  are  not  willing  that  their  wives 
should  have  their  children  baptized.  When  this 
arises  from  self-will,  as  it  frequently  does,  it 
indicates  a  state  of  general  feeling  in  the  man  at 
home,  which  is  not  wholly  favorable  to  domestic 


THE    UNKIND    HUSBAND.  85 

happiness,  nor  to  his  reputation  as  a  husband  and 
father.  It  is  a  great  injury  to  a  man  to  be  an  unkind 
and  disobliging  husband ;  it  injures  him  in  his 
inner  man,  in  ways  which  he  does  not  suspect ; 
whereas  the  smallest  acts  that  indicate  the  submis- 
sion of  his  own  feelings  to  those  of  his  wife  in 
certain  cases,  and  that  under  consideration  is  one  of 
them  —  has  a  good  influence  upon  him,  by  making 
him  a  better  and  a  happier  man. 

But  we  have  known  cases  in  which  these  con- 
siderations could  not  be  appreciated,  but  the  man 
has  persisted  in  a  rude  and  almost  brutal  resistance 
of  his  wife's  desire  to  dedicate  her  children  in 
Baptism.  When  the  wife,  though  pious  before 
marriage,  consented  against  the  remonstrances  of 
friends  and  of  her  own  conscience,  to  unite  herself 
with  one  who  she  knew  did  not  fear  God,  and 
perhaps  was  addicted  to  bad  habits,  we  see  her  sin 
in  her  punishment  so  clearly,  as  not  to  feel  that  her 
desire  to  dedicate  her  children  can  be  as  sincere 
and  pious  as  it  might  have  seemed  under  different 
circumstances ;  —  and  still,  we  feel  more  anxious 
to  surround  the  children  of  such  a  union  with 
religious  influences. 

There  are  cases  in  which  the  wife  has  become  a 
Christian  after  marriage,  and  has  wished  to  dedicate 
her  children  in  Baptism ;  but  her  husband,  himself 
a  despiser  of  religion,  will  not  yield  to  argument 
or  persuasion.     What  shall  we  say  to  such  a  man  ? 


86  THE    BAPTIZED    CHILD. 

Anything  of  the  nature  of  stern  remonstrance, 
may  only  make  him  more  desperate  in  his  general 
resistance  to  religious  influences,  and  to  this  par- 
ticular proposition.  Something  may  be  done  by 
making  him  feel  that  it  is  the  interest  you  take  in 
his  children,  and  not  any  design  upon  him,  that 
leads  you  to  urge  the  matter  of  their  Baptism.  The 
thought,  kindly  expressed,  of  his  being  an  obstacle 
in  the  way  of  their  salvation,  and  an  appeal  to  his 
better  feelings  in  waiving  his  own  opinions  to  please 
his  wife,  may  have  some  efl*ect  upon  him.  When 
you  look  at  the  power  of  a  quiet  south  wind  in 
sinking  piles  of  snow  and  ice  into  the  earth,  you 
cannot  but  think  how  true  an  emblem  it  is  of  the 
influence  of  '  soft  answers,'  and  of  a  course  of 
uniform  meekness  and  kindness  in  melting  a  stub- 
born heart. 

The  mother,  especially,  should  never  cease  from 
prayer  and  judicious  efl^ort ;  by  the  circumstances  of 
her  situation,  God  may  be  trying  the  strength  of 
her  faith  and  her  importunity,  and  may  suspend 
great  blessings  for  her  family  upon  the  result  of  the 
trial. 

The  wives  of  impenitent  husbands  are  too  apt  to 
suff'er  themselves  to  be  drawn  away  from  their  own 
standard  of  duty,  instead  of  seeking  continually  to 
draw  their  husbands  to  that  standard.  You  either 
see  a  softening  influence  working  upon  the  man's 
character,  at  least  in  the  way  of  restraint,  from  the 


A  HOUSE    WITHOUT    GOD.  87 

pious  example  and  the  consistency  of  his  wife,  or 
else  the  wife,  however  exemplary  before  marriage, 
sinks  down  into  a  state  of  stupidity,  or  conformity 
to  the  world.  A  Christian  in  such  a  union  needs 
to  mark  that  passage,  2  Peter,  1 :  10.  "  Give  dili- 
gence to  make  your  calling  and  election  swre,"  for 
daily  meditation  and  prayer;— not  for  her  own 
sake  only,  but  for  the  sake  of  the  offspring  whose 
eternal  destiny  is,  in  a  special  manner,  and  in  the 
midst  of  peculiar  dangers,  placed  under  her  care. 
It  should  be  the  mother's  constant  endeavour  to 
have  her  children  baptized,  so  as  to  surround  them 
with  every  possible  religious  influence,  as  well  as 
for  the  influence  which  her  vows  may  exert  upon 
her  own  conduct  in  her  family. 

This  book  may  find  its  way  into  a  house  where 
neither  of  the  parents  are  pious,  and  their  children 
are  growing  up  without  religion.  Perhaps  there  is 
an  infant  in  this  house,  the  joy  of  its  parents,  the 
gift  of  God,  an  immortal  spirit  destined  to  Heaven 
or  hell,  and  that  according  as  the  influence  or  neg- 
lect of  these  parents  may  decide. 

It  is  melancholy  to  be  in  a  house  where  God  is 
not  regarded.  Over  this  dwelling  no  angel  listens 
to  the  voice  of  prayer  or  praise.  On  its  door-post 
is  written  by  invisible  hands.  Without  God  in  the 
world.  No  blood  of  the  passover  marks  it  as  a 
dwelling  of  some  of  God's  people ;  no  altar  at  the 


88  THE    BAPTIZED    CHILD. 

fireside  or  in  the  chamber,  invokes  his  presence  and 
blessing. 

Here  is  a  family  bound  together  by  ties  the  most 
interesting  of  any  on  earth.  Perhaps  the  parents 
are  poor,  and  are  compelled  to  labour  hard  for 
a  living. 

How  sad  to  think  that  after  working  like  slaves 
to  live  a  few  years,  they  may  go  where  the  wicked 
never  cease  from  troubling,  and  the  weary  are  not 
at  rest !  How  desirable  that  they  should  have  God 
for  their  portion,  and  Heaven  for  their  home,  so 
that  years  of  toil  and  hardship  here  may  be  fol- 
lowed by  rest  and  joy,  made  doubly  sweet  by 
earthly  trials.  But  now,  there  is  reason  to  fear  that 
the  family,  parents  and  children,  will  struggle 
through  a  hard  life,  only  to  meet  a  worse  condition 
together  beyond  the  grave. 

God  now  appeals  to  your  hearts  through  your 
infant  child,  or  older  children.  Labour  not  for  the 
meat  that  perish eth  to  sustain  the  life  of  your  child, 
as  though  this  were  your  whole  duty.  Remember 
that  God  has  committed  the  forming  period  of  an 
immortal  spirit's  history  and  condition  to  you,  and 
that  your  relation  to  this  child  is  forever  to  be  to 
you  a  source  of  joy  or  sorrow.  You  must  dedicate 
this  child,  to  God,  and  bring  it  up  for  Heaven. 

Then,  first,  give  your  own  selves  to  the  Lord ; 
it  will  be  cruelty  which  that  child  will  understand 


THE    FAMILY    OF    THE     RICH.  89 

and  feel,  if  it  should  be  lost,  and  will  utter  impreca- 
tions upon  you  for  it,  if  you  shall  neglect  its  early 
religious  instruction.  It  may  hereafter  cry,  "  O 
that  I  had  been  born  a  heathen,  and  my  parents 
had  thrown  me  upon  the  shore.  Then  my  soul 
might  have  been  taken  to  Heaven,  and  now  I 
should  have  been  a  saint  in  light,  but  my  Cliristian 
parents  were  the  cause  of  my  eternal  pain !  "  If 
you  would  not  occasion  such  weeping  and  wailing 
from  that  child,  who  now  smiles  at  you  as  its  pro- 
tectors, give  yourselves  with  your  oifspring  to  God 
in  the  bonds  of  his  covenant. 

Perhaps  in  your  dwelling  God  has  poured  out  a 
profusion  of  goodness,  and  with  children.  He  has 
given  you  much  to  charm  the  eye  and  delight  the 
heart,  and  you  may  be  highly  susceptible  to  the 
refined  pleasures  of  life.  All  this  you  may  now 
have,  without  religion,  or  a  prospect  of  happiness 
beyond  the  grave.  Your  hopes  are  bounded  by 
the  narrow  term  of  life  ;  you  and  your  children 
have  no  provision  for  another  world.  What  must 
it  be  for  you,  so  sensitive  to  pleasure  and  pain,  to 
be  shut  out  of  Heaven  with  your  family,  and  to 
spend  eternity  with  them  in  the  world  of  sin  and 
suffering  !  What  exquisite  pleasure  will  be  yours, 
if  all  your  present  sources  of  happiness  and  suscep- 
tibilities to  enjoyment,  are  refined  and  perpetuated 
in  Heaven ;  —  and  if  home  and  the  relations  of 
9 


90  THE    BAPTIZED    CHILD. 

life,  are  so  delightful  to  you  here,  can  you  bear 
the  thought  of  being  stripped,  like  a  tree  by  the 
blast  of  winter,  of  those  attachments  that  now  con- 
stitute your  chief,  perhaps  your  only,  happiness  ? 
Consider  what  distress  and  ruin  you  are  bringing 
upon  this  beloved  household,  by  neglecting  to 
consecrate  yourself  and  them  to  God.  You  are 
preparing  the  way  for  their  final  separation,  or  for 
their  united  banishment  from  God.  Your  kindness 
to  them  here,  your  affectionate  endeavours  to  make 
them  happy  in  this  world,  will  only  make  their 
doom  and  their  future  portion  more  dreadful,  by  its 
contrast  with  their  happiness  in  this  life.  But  who 
can  paint  their  bliss,  if,  by  your  pious  and  faithful 
conduct,  the  whole  meet  in  Heaven !  What  way 
of  effecting  this  is  more  suitable  than  to  dedicate 
your  children,  and  yourself  with  them,  to  God  ! 
What  motive  can  more  properly  lead  you  to  begin 
a  religious  life,  than  a  seasonable  concern  for  the 
souls  whose  destiny  God  has  in  a  measure  entrusted 
to  your  care  ? 


CHAPTER    IX. 

Restriction  of  Infant  Baptism  to  the  children  of  believers. 
I.  The  ancient  privilege  of  believers.  The  sign  of  the  covenant 
with  them.  Illustration.  The  rainbow.  No  reason  why 
either  should  cease.  II.  Inconsistency  of  one  who  is  not  a 
Christian  offering  a  child  to  God.  Principle  of  divine  govern- 
ment. Importance  of  a  visible  distinction  between  the  church 
and  the  world.      Answers  to  objections. 

On  being  re-baptized.  Its  impropriety  shown,  from  the 
meaning  of  Baptism.  Cases  of  adult  Baptism  by  the  apostles, 
and  the  Baptism  of  Christ  not  in  point.  Baptism  not  a  profession 
of  religion.  Right  view  of  this  matter,  and  an  argument  from  it. 
To  be  re-baptized  is  to  renounce  the  previous  Baptism.  Solemn 
and  responsible  act. 

On  what  grounds  is  Infant  Baptism  restricted  to 
the  offspring  of  believers  ? 

When  God  revived  his  church  in  Abraham,  who 
was  the  father  of  all  them  that  believe,  He  made 
the  consecration  of  children,  and  their  admission 
with  their  parents  into  covenant,  the  privilege  and 
duty  of  his  peculiar  people.  It  was  to  them  a 
precious  privilege,  it  gratified  the  parental  affection, 
and  was  a  bond  between  the  pious  Israelite  and 
God.     If  believers  now  do  not  enjoy  this  privilege, 


92  THE    BAPTIZED    CHILD. 

if  their  offspring  do  not  bear  a  peculiar  relation  to 
God,  and  God  to  them,  we  are  deprived  of  a  great 
blessing,  and  that  too,  under  a  dispensation  which 
professes  to  be  superiour  to  that  which  is  past  in 
the  richness  of  its  blessings. 

This  privilege  does  not  seem  by  its  nature  to  be 
restricted  to  one  age  or  dispensation  ;  it  grows  out 
of  the  natural  relation  of  parents  and  children. 
When  God  would  mark  by  a  peculiar  token,  the  cov- 
enant made  by  Him  Avith  believers,  He  selected  the 
natural  affection  of  'parents  for  their  children,  and, 
as  it  were,  sanctified  or  set  apart  this  instinct,  to  be 
a  sign  between  Him  and  them.  Many  years  before, 
He  had,  in  the  same  manner,  set  apart  the  natural 
effect  of  the  sunlight  upon  the  retiring  cloud,  as  a 
sign  of  His  covenant  that  the  waters  should  no 
more  deluge  the  earth,  and  this  was  an  appropriate 
and  beautiful  emblem  of  his  covenant.  And  now, 
as  the  boAV  in  the  cloud  is  as  fresh  and  fair  to  us 
as  when  eight  souls  hailed  it  as  the  sign  of  God's 
covenant  with  them  and  with  the  world,  as  the 
principle  in  nature  by  which  it  is  produced  is  ever- 
lasting, and  as  the  significancy  of  it  is  as  cheering 
to  us  as  to  those  who  saw  it  spanning  the  Heavens 
after  the  flood,  so  God's  recognition  of  parental 
affection  in  believers,  and  the  bestowment  of  his 
blessing  upon  it,  is  as  desirable  and  precious  now, 
and  the  principle  and  reason  of  it  is  the  same  now, 
and  its  significancy  as  a  sign  of  his  covenant  is  as 
great  now,  as  in  the  days  of  the  early  church. 


THE    OFFSPRING    OF    BELIEVERS.  93 

We  cannot  believe  that  the  important  article  of 
a  peculiar  relation  of  the  believer's  offspring  to  God 
and  of  God  to  them  is  omitted  in  the  New  Cov- 
enant, especially  when  we  consider  that  there  is 
nothing  in  that  relation  which  was  any  more 
peculiar  or  precious  to  Abraham  and  the  Jews, 
than  to  Christian  parents,  and  nothing  in  its  nature 
that  required  its  restriction  to  one  age  or  dispen- 
sation. 

Our  belief  of  the  peculiar  relation  of  the  children 
of  believers  to  God,  established  in  the  ancient 
church,  and  continued  without  repeal,  in  the 
Christian  dispensation,  is  not  the  only  reason  for 
restricting  Infant  Baptism  to  the  children  of  be- 
lievers. 

It  is  inconsistent  for  a  man  to  do  that  for  another 
which  it  is  the  other's  duty  to  do  for  himself,  but 
which,  without  good  reason,  he  is  unwilling  to  do. 
This  is  the  case  when  parents,  who  have  never 
given  their  own  selves  to  God  in  covenant,  propose 
to  offer  Him  their  children,  that  his  covenant  may 
be  established  with  them.  There  is  an  inconsis- 
tency in  their  conduct  that  must  strike  every  one 
who  does  not  regard  the  ordinance  as  a  mere 
ceremony.  They  seem  to  say,  as  they  stand 
before  the  congregation.  We  are  not  willing  to 
have  that  God  for  our  portion,  whom  we  now  ask 
to  be  the  God  and  portion  of  our  child. 

Do  you  pity  the  child  which  is  therefore  ex- 
*9 


94  THE    BAPTIZED    CHILD. 

eluded  from  the  privileges  of  Infant  Baptism  by  the 
fault  of  its  parents  ?  This  is  in  accordance  with 
the  great  principle  in  the  earthly  government  of 
God, 'by  which  children  are  affected,  for  good  or 
evil,  by  the  conduct  of  their  parents.  One  way  in 
which  He  chooses  to  influence  men,  is  through  their 
natural  relations  and  affections.  It  has  been  one 
object  of  this  book  to  impress  this  principle  upon 
the  minds  of  parents,  and  to  induce  those  who  are 
not  pious,  to  have  mercy  upon  their  children,  and 
for  their  sakes,  upon  themselves.  Until  they 
acknowledge  God  as  their  God,  it  is  inconsistent 
for  them  to  profess  to  do  it  for  their  children  ;  it 
can  be  only  a  profession. 

It  is  the  tendency  of  this  age  to  break  down  the 
distinction  between  the  church  and  the  world,  and 
Christians,  as  they  grow  worldly,  acquiesce  in  the 
tendency.  While  we  should  not  hoast  ourselves  as 
the  peculiar  people  of  God, — if  we  are  ashamed 
before  the  world  of  our  profession  and  hope  as  such, 
God  will  cast  us  off.  \Ye  should  insist  on  the 
restriction  of  Infant  Baptism  to  the  children  of 
visible  Christians,  as  not  only  right  and  proper  in 
itself,  but  as  peculiarly  important  now,  to  make  the 
churches  feel  that  they  have  privileges,  and  obliga- 
tions also,  which  distinguish  them  from  the  world. 

'  But  evei^y  Jew  could  have  his  child  circumcised  ; 
and  it  is  said  that  Infant  Baptism  is  in  the  place  of 
circumcision.' 


ON  BEING  RE-BAPTIZED.  95 

The  whole  Jewish  nation  was  then,  the  church 
of  God  ,•  and  other  nations  were,  in  a  well-known 
use  of  the  term,  the  uwrld.  All  members  of  the 
visible  church  71010,  are  entitled  to  the  privilege  of 
having  their  children  baptized. 

'  Bnt  some  church  members  who  have  their 
children  baptized,  are  not  so  faithful  with  their 
children  as  some  who  do  not  profess  to  be 
Christians.' 

This  is  true,  and  greatly  to  be  lamented,  as  well 
as  the  fact  that  there  were  some  Jews  who  had  the 
privilege  of  circumcision,  who  were  not  so  faithful, 
perhaps,  as  some  heathens.  On  the  same  principle, 
however,  upon  which  Christ  said  of  the  wheat  and 
tares.  Let  both  grow  together  till  the  harvest,  we 
must  give  Baptism  to  the  children  of  those  who  are 
connected  with  the  visible  church,  without  respect 
to  their  private  character  as  parents.  To  their 
Master,  between  whom  and  themselves  they  have 
made  a  solemn  covenant,  they  must  stand  or  fall. 

It  may  be  that  the  reader  is  one  who  has  doubts 
about  the  validity  of  his  Baptism  in  infancy,  or 
childhood,  on  the  ground  that  he  was  not  capable 
of  giving  his  assent  to  the  rite  when  he  was 
baptized. 

What  is  signified  by  Christian  Baptism  ?  I  an- 
swer, The  separation  or  consecration  of  the  baptized 


96  THE    BAPTIZED    CHILD. 

person  to  the  belief  and  practice  of  that  rehgion,  in 
distinction  from  all  others,  of  which  Father,  Son, 
and  Holy  Ghost  are  the  objects  of  worship.  The 
performance  of  the  rite  of  Baptism  is  only  the 
placing  of  a  badge  on  the  baptized  person,  or  a 
solemn  mode  of  signifying  his  consecration.  Now 
if  you  have  done  that  for  yourself  which  was 
implied  by  your  Baptism,  if  you  have  consecrated 
yourself  to  God,  and  in  spirit  and  in  truth  have  em- 
braced the  Christian  religion,  the  repetition  of  the 
ordinance  can  add  nothing  to  what  it  has  already 
done  for  you.  You  now  have  all  which  it  signifies. 
To  seek  a  repetition  of  the  outward  form  would  be 
to  exalt  a  rite  above  its  spiritual  end.  If  you  have 
gained  the  latter,  it  is  all  which  was  intended  by 
the  ordinance. 

It  is  no  argument  against  Infant  Baptism  that 
those  who  are  mentioned  as  baptized  by  the  apos- 
tles were  mostly  adults.  This  does  not  prove  that 
none  but  adults  were  baptized. 

Christ  was  not  baptized  in  infancy,  for  the  plain 
reason  that  Baptism  in  the  name  of  the  Father, 
the  Son,  and  the  Holy  Ghost  had  not  then  been 
established.  So  that  the  example  of  Christ,  or 
of  believers  baptized  by  the  apostles  is  no  warrant 
for  us  to  be  re-baptized. 

Some  think  that  Baptism  is  a  profession  of  reli- 
gion, and  that  for  this  reason  they  must  be  baptized 


ON  BEING  RE-BAPTIZED.  97 

when  they  make  that  profession.  But  the  Scriptures 
represent  Baptism  as  something  given  to  us,  rather 
than  something  done  by  us; — 3. privilege,  to  be 
received,  rather  than  a  duty  to  be  performed.  So 
the  Eunuch  seemed  to  think.  He  looked  upon 
Baptism  as  something  to  be  done  to  him  and  for 
him.  ''  See,  here  is  water  :  what  doth  hinder  me 
to  he  baptized.  And  PhiHp  said,  not,  Thou 
oughtest,  but  thou  mayest ;  it  was  permission,  and 
a  grant,  rather  than  an  act. 

Baptism  is  not  our  profession  to  God,  but  His 
profession  to  us ;  His  seal  placed  upon  us  :  and  if 
it  was  placed  upon  you  in  infancy,  and  He  has 
since  owned  it  in  your  conversion,  is  it  not  taking 
an  unwarrantable  freedom  with  a  sacred  and  solemn 
thing  to  demand  it  a  second  time  ? 

By  being  re-baptized,  you  reject  your  Infant 
Baptism.  It  may  be  owing  to  that  covenant  which 
your  parents  made  with  God  for  you  when  you 
were  baptized,  that  you  now  have  a  hope  of  Heaven. 
It  is  probable  that  God,  who  remembers  his  cov- 
enant for  those  that  love  Him,  and  for  their 
children,  connected  all  your  spiritual  blessings  with 
your  early  dedication.  Now,  besides  the  useless- 
ness  of  repeating  the  form  of  Baptism  when  you 
have  all  that  is  signified  by  it,  is  it  not  a  serious 
matter  for  you  to  renounce,  as  you  propose  to  do, 
the  covenant  which  God  made  with  your  parents 
for  you  when  you  were  young  ?     Your  object  in 


98  THE    BAPTIZED    CHILD. 

doing  it,  you  say,  is  to  make  a  covenant  with  Him 
in  your  own  name.  But  have  you  not  done  this 
already  ? 

If  you  are  re-baptized,  you  will  come  forth  before 
the  world,  not  so  much  to  make  a  covenant  with 
God,  as  to  renounce  the  covenant  already  made 
for  you,  with  your  parents,  by  your  God  and 
Saviour.  Your  language  will  be,  ''  I  do  not  believe 
that  God  made  a  covenant  with  my  parents  forme." 
But  if  He  did,  as  we  believe,  you  may  put  a  stop 
to  the  blessings  of  that  covenant,  and  to  the  an- 
swer of  the  prayers  made  for  you  by  pious  parents 
and  the  church  at  your  Baptism; — prayers  yet 
waiting  to  be  fulfilled  in  blessings  upon  you  and 
yours  to  many  generations. 


CHAPTER    X. 


The  mode  of  Baptism.  Sprinkling  is  valid  Baptism.  Ex- 
amination of  cases  in  the  New  Testament.  I.  Saul  of  Tarsus. 
II.  The  Jailor  of  Phillippi,  and  his  house.  lit.  The  Eunuch. 
IV.  John's  Baptism.  Baptism  of  Christ.  V.  The  three  thousand 
at  Pentecost. 


But  perhaps  you  cannot  feel  that  you  were 
baptized  in  infancy,  because  you  doubt  whether 
sprinkHng  is  Baptism. 

It  will  be  easy  to  show  that  sprinkling  is  valid 
Baptism,  and,  therefore,  that  there  is  no  objection, 
so  far  as  the  mode  is  concerned,  to  the  practice  of 
Infant  Baptism. 

Let  us  consider  some  of  the  more  prominent  cases 
of  Baptism  recorded  in  the  New  Testament,  and 
see  what  appears  to  have  been  the  probable  mode  of 
Baptism  in  those  cases. 

I.  We  will  begin  with  the  case  of  Saul  of 
Tarsus. 

Saul  was  struck  to  the  earth,  on  his  way  to 
Damascus,  by  a  sudden  blaze  of  light ;  and  a  voice 
proclaimed,   '  /  mn  Jesus  whom  thou  persecutest.'' 


100  THE   BAPTIZED    CHILD. 

His  eyes  were  '  blasted  with  excess  of  light,'  so 
that  he  was  blind  three  days  and  three  nights. 
You  can  easily  imagine  his  excitement  of  mind, 
and  his  consequent  prostration  of  bodily  strength, 
especially  when  you  consider  that  during  these 
three  days  and  three  nights,  '  he  neither  did  eat  nor 
drink.' 

As  he  sat  in  the  house,  there  came  to  him  one  of 
his  intended  victims,  the  leader  of  the  Christian 
band,  and  probably  the  one  to  whom  he  would  first 
have  done  violence.  The  meek  disciple  lays  his 
hand  upon  the  blind  man's  head,  and  says,  '  Brother 
Saul,  the  Lord,  even  Jesus,  who  appeared  to  thee 
in  the  way  as  thou  camest,  has  sent  me  that  thou 
mayest  receive  thy  sight,  and  be  filled  with  the 
Holy  Ghost.'  Were  there  no  strong  emotions 
in  the  mind  of  Saul,  at  the  pressure  of  that  hand, 
and  at  the  sound  of  that  voice  ?  And  when  '  there 
fell  from  his  eyes  as  it  had  been  scales,  and  he 
received  sight,'  and  looked  round  upon  the  little 
company  of  disciples  watching  him  with  wonder 
and  compassion,  and  compared  the  scene  with  the 
anticipated  scenes  of  blood  for  which  he  had  come 
to  that  place,  could  his  condition  have  been  such 
as  to  admit  of  his  being  led  out  to  a  river  to  be 
immersed  ?  He  had  not  eaten  anything  for  three 
days  and  three  nights,  and  did  not  eat  till  he  had 
been  baptized ;  for  it  is  said,  '  He  arose  and  was 
baptized;    and  when  he   received   meat   he    was 


BAPTISM    OF    THE    JAILER.  101 

Strengthened.'  How  natural  to  suppose  that  water 
was  applied  to  him  in  a  way  consistent  with  his 
exhausted  condition.  It  is  most  rational  to  suppose 
that  it  was  done  by  affusion. 

The  public  Baptism  of  Saul,  the  persecutor,  in 
'Abana  or  Pharpar,  rivers  of  Damascus,'  would 
have  made  such  an  impression  in  favour  of  Christi- 
anity, that  it  is  probable  it  would  not  have  been 
omitted,  if  the  practice  of  the  apostles  had  been  to 
baptize  by  immersion.  They  would  have  strength- 
ened him  with  meat,  and  then  would  have  made  a 
great  occasion  of  his  Baptism.  Had  this  been  done, 
it  seems  probable  that  so  exciting  a  scene  would 
have  been  noticed  by  the  sacred  historian.  But 
the  Baptism  is  passed  over  with  a  few  words 
because,  as  we  believe,  it  took  place  in  the  house 
and  was  performed  by  sprinkling,  inasmuch  as  the 
condition  of  Saul  could  not  have  permitted  any 
other  mode. 

n.  Another  case  in  which  there  is  every  reason 
to  believe  that  the  mode  of  Baptism  was  not 
immersion,  is  that  of  the  jailer  at  Philippi.  Paul 
and  Silas  were  bruised  and  sore,  from  the  stripes 
which  they  had  but  just  received.  The  earthquake 
had,  of  course,  alarmed  the  city,  and  the  streets 
were  not  so  empty  and  still  as  at  other  times.  Can 
any  one  suppose  that  Paul  and  Silas  would  have 
ventured  forth,  with  a  whole  household,  into  the 
10 


102  THE    BAPTIZED    CHILD. 

streets  of  a  city  just  alarmed  by  an  earthquake  ? 
Would  the  jailer  have  had  such  disregard  for  his 
own  life,  and  for  that  of  the  apostles,  as  to  have 
carried  these  state  prisoners  outside  the  prison  gates 
at  midnight  ?  Would  the  apostles  have  ventured 
into  a  river,  at  that  season,  in  the  wounded  state  of 
their  bodies  ?  Can  any  one  suppose  that  immersion 
held  such  a  place  in  the  minds  of  the  apostles  that 
they  would  disregard  all  these  circumstances,  for 
the  purpose  of  getting  this  family  into  the  river  at 
the  dead  of  night  ? 

''  But  the  jailer,  and  his  household,  and  Saul, 
may  have  been  immersed   in   a   bathing   vessel." 

And  they  may  have  been  sprinkled.     One  supposi- 
tion is  as  good  as  the  other. 

There  is  more  probability  that  sprinkling  or 
pouring  was  used,  than  immersion  in  a  bathing 
vessel.  There  is  something  offensive  and  unnatural 
in  the  supposition  of  the  latter  mode.  Think  of 
the  process  of  baptizing  a  whole  family  in  this 
manner.  From  the  expression,  'all  his  house,' 
there  would  seem  to  have  been  a  considerable 
number  in  the  jailer's  family,  either  of  adults  or 
children.  Suppose  that  they  were  all  adults  ;  —  and 
that  some  of  them  were  such,  is  probable  from  the  oc- 
cupation of  the  jailer,which  required  assistants  or  ser- 
vants. A  bathing  vessel  is  filled  ;  the  jailer  is  ordered 
to  prepare  himself,  his  family  and  domestics,  to  be 


BAPTISM    OF    THE    JAILER's    HOUSE.  103 

immersed.  Is  it  probable  that  they  all  had  garments 
suited  to  the  service  ?  One  of  them  lies  down  in 
the  vessel,  and  Paul  or  Silas  bends  his  aching  body, 
and  in  so  doing,  breaks  the  wounds  that  had 
stiffened  in  their  blood.  It  required  no  small 
exercise  of  strength  to  lay  a  full-sized  man  into  a 
bathing  vessel  and  lift  him  up  again,  and  the  apos- 
tles, only  a  few  hours  before,  had  been  severely 
beaten.  The  service  for  the  jailer  is  finished.  The 
wife  comes  next ;  an  hour  before,  she  was  a  heathen, 
and  had  just  received  impressions  of  divine  truth 
that  had  filled  her  with  wonder  and  joy ;  now,  she  is 
commanded  to  lie  down  in  the  bathing  vessel  before 
her  servants,  and  two  strange  Jews. 

Is  the  same  water  used  for  each  successive  sub- 
ject ?  Or  are  their  common  feelings  of  decency 
such  that  the  vessel  must  be  emptied  and  filled 
again  after  each  Baptism  ?  No  one  of  them  would 
ordinarily  bathe  in  the  water  that  another  had 
immersed  himself  in;  they  therefore  must  have 
filled  the  vessel  each  time  with  clean  water ;  —  and 
all  this  is  supposed  to  have  been  done  in  that  most 
interesting  hour  when  the  minds  of  the  household 
were  awakened  and  anxious,  or  were  just  rejoicing 
in  hope.  Their  thoughts  must  be  turned  off  from 
Christ  and  the  way  of  salvation,  to  the  process  of 
lying  down  in  a  bathing  vessel  —  a  service  which 
must  have  been  strangely  inconsistent  with  their 
state  of  mind,  and  must  have  given  them  bad  im- 


104  THE    BAPTIZED    CHILD. 

pressions  of  a  religion  that  could  neglect  the  soul, 
in  its  moments  of  intense  feeling,  for  a  ceremony 
so  inconvenient,  unnatural,  and  improper,  and  of 
ludicrous  rather  than  impressive  effect. 

Nothing  is  gained  by  supposing  that  there  was  a 
large  number  of  vessels  in  the  house  or  prison. 
The  performance  of  a  service  that  required  such 
effort  on  the  part  of  the  apostles,  and  such  prepa- 
ration on  the  part  of  the  household,  at  such  a  time, 
a  service  that  must  have  occasioned  a  distraction  of 
thought  and  feeling,  which  the  apostles  would  have 
been  anxious  to  prevent,  has  no  semblance  of  prob- 
ability in  its  favour. 

But  look  at  a  different  scene.  The  family  are 
gathered  in  one  room.  One  of  the  apostles  is 
preaching  to  them  Jesus.  The  way  to  be  saved  is 
clearly  pointed  out ;  one  after  another  breaks  forth 
in  some  expression  of  joy,  penitence,  or  confession. 
The  apostles  discern  the  evidence  of  true  conver- 
sion, and  wish  to  consecrate  the  household  to  the 
Christian  faith.  Water  is  brought  in  a  convenient 
form.  Each  bows  the  head,  and  the  emblem  of  the 
Spirit's  influence  descends  like  the  small  rain  upon 
the  tender  herb.  All  is  still,  save  when  the  name 
of  Father,  Son,  and  Holy  Ghost,  is  uttered  by  the 
apostle,  or  the  feelings  of  the  new  converts  break 
through  the  restraint  of  the  service.  Everything 
in  the  scene  deepens  the  impressions  of  divine 
truth ;    no   change    of    garments,   no    labour,   no 


BAPTISM    OF    THE    EUNUCH.  105 

promiscuous  meeting,  or  exposure,  around  a  bath, 
disturbs  the  thoughts  of  the  inquirers  after  eternal 
hfe.  It  is  difficult  to  beheve  that  this  household 
were  not  baptized  by  sprinkling. 

III.  The  case  of  the  Eunuch  may  next  be  con- 
sidered. When  he  said,  ''  See,  here  is  water," 
what  reason  is  there  for  concluding  that  it  was  a 
deep  river,  and  not  a  shallow  stream  ?  And  why 
could  they  not  go  doivn  out  of  the  chariot  to  a  brook, 
as  well  as  down  into  a  river  ?  for  the  prepositions 
here  used,  may  be  rendered  either  way. 

Besides,  if  the  expression,  doion  into  the  water, 
certainly  denotes  that  the  Eunuch  was  immersed, 
then  Philip  must  have  been  immersed  also  ;  for 
they  both  went  down  into  the  water,  '  both  Philip 
and  the  Eunuch.'  Many  do  not  consider  that  down 
into,  does  not  mean  down  under;  if  it  does, 
the  Eunuch  must  have  immersed  Philip,  or  Philip 
must  have  plunged  into  the  stream  ;  for  one  went 
as  much  into  the  water  as  the  other.  The  prepo- 
sition here  used  does  not  necessarily  lead  any 
further  than  to  the  edge  of  the  water  ;  down  to  the 
water.  And  then,  allowing  that  they  did  step  into 
the  water,  it  is  as  likely  that  sprinkling  took  place 
as  immersion. 

It  is  not  probable  that  the  Eunuch  would  put  the 
garments,  in  which  he  was  riding,  upon  his  wet 
body ;  nor  that  he  had  conveniences  for  making 
*10 


106  THE    BAPTIZED    CHILD. 

himself  comfortable  after  bathing  ;  nor  that  he  took 
the  trouble  to  have  his  change  of  raiment  removed 
from  its  secm'ed  place  ;  for  he  merely  commanded 
the  chariot  to  stand  still,  and  took  nothing  with 
him  to  the  water,  nor  did  any  servant  bear  anything 
after  him,  nor  do  we  read  that  he  went  through 
any  process  of  arraying  himself  afresh  after  his 
Baptism.  The  whole  narrative  leaves  the  impres- 
sion on  the  mind  that  he  and  Philip  stood  in  the 
water,  or  by  the  side  of  it,  (according  as  the  prepo- 
sition is  translated  down  into^  or  down  to)  and  that 
Philip  baptized  him  with  water  raised  in  his  hand. 
Here,  if  any  change  at  all  was  needed  in  their  dress, 
it  could  only  have  been  to  loose  their  sandals  from 
their  feet ;  for  in  those  countries,  the  lower  part 
of  the  limbs  was  bare,  and  the  loose  garment 
which  they  wore  around  them  could  easily  be 
adjusted  without  being  removed.  We  never  see 
the  picture  of  '  Philip  baptizing  the  Eunuch,'  in 
which  they  are  both  represented  as  up  to  their 
waists  in  water,  Avithout  thinking  of  all  the  incon- 
veniences before  and  after  the  service,  which  make 
it  improbable  that  immersion  was  the  mode  of 
Baptism.  It  is  much  more  easy  to  think  of  them 
as  standing  by  the  side  of  the  water,  and  the 
Ethiopian,  without  the  confusion  which  exposure 
to  a  stranger  would  occasion,  without  the  incon- 
venience or  trouble  of  a  change  of  dress,  or  the 
natural  agitation  which  any  one  feels  in  the  hands 
of  another  in  the  water,  receiving  from  Philip  the 


John's  baptism.  107 

simple  sign  of  the  affusion  of  God's  Spirit,  while 
the  small  drops  that  flow  from  his  temples  upon 
his  dress,  aff*ect  his  mind  more  than  the  violent 
rushing  of  waves  over  him.  Without  excitement, 
agitation,  or  delay,  his  thoughts  averted  not  even 
for  a  moment  by  the  simple  rite  from  the  theme  of 
Philip's  discourse,  and  bearing  upon  his  head  the 
fresh  emblem  of  his  separation  to  the  Christian 
faith,  he  ascends  the  chariot,  and  goes  on  his  way 
rejoicing. 

TV.  In  regard  to  John's  Baptism,  it  seems  most 
probable  that  sprinkling  or  pouring  was  the  mode  of 
applying  the  water.  It  is  not  probable  that  the 
multitudes  of  men  and  women  who  came  to  John 
were  immersed  in  the  dress  which  they  then  had 
on ;  and  that  they  were  uncovered  in  that  promis- 
cuous assembly  is  not  to  be  supposed  ;  that  they 
all  had  changes  of  raiment,  or  that  they  could  or 
would  have  used  them  under  such  circumstances, 
if  they  had  them,  is  incredible.  Besides,  they 
could  go  down  into  the  water,  and  come  up /row, 
or  out  of  the  water,  as  well  if  they  stood  and 
were  sprinkled,  as  if  they  were  immersed.  They 
had  only  to  leave  their  sandals  on  the  shore,  and 
adjusting  their  dress,  which  was  convenient  for 
such  a  service,  step  into  the  stream  where  the 
Baptist  stood,  receive  the  aff'usion  of  water  from  his 
hand,  which  would  cost  him  but  little  effort 
compared  to  the  labour  of    plunging  and  raising 


108  THE    BAPTIZED    CHILD. 

multitudes,  and  then  retire  for  others  to  come 
around  him  in  quick  succession.  That  a  human 
creature,  especially  of  one  of  whom  it  is  said,  '  John 
did  no  miracle,'  could  have  endured  the  labour  of 
plunging  multitudes  day  after  day,  is  amongst  the 
many  improbabilities  of  the  case. 

From  this,  it  would  follow  that  our  Lord  was 
not  immersed.  If  he  was  baptized  in  Jordan,  if  he 
went  into  the  river  and  came  up  out  of  the  water, 
all  this  it  was  most  convenient  to  do  in  order  to  be 
sprinkled.  How  far  into  the  river  he  went,  we  are 
not  told.  The  improbabilities  of  immersion,  in  the 
other  cases  of  John's  Baptism,  lead  us  to  suppose 
that  the  Baptist  took  his  usual  place  in  the  river, 
but  only  so  far  in  as  not  to  be  obliged  to  stoop 
far  to  raise  the  water  in  his  hand ;  and  that  Christ 
was  thus  baptized  by  affusion.  The  contrary  can- 
not be  proved,  and  this,  under  the  circumstances, 
is  most  probable. 

'  John  was  baptizing  in  Enon,  near  to  Salim, 
because  there  was  much  water  there,'  not  because 
he  immersed :  for  the  words  much  water  are,  in 
the  original,  many  waters,  or  streams,  convenient 
for  the  multitudes  and  their  cattle.  Had  he  bap- 
tized by  immersion,  one  stream  would  have 
answered  his  purpose ;  and  many  waters  would 
have  been  useless. 

V.  Then  as  to  the  three  thousand  on  the  day  of 
Pentecost,  it  cannot  be  made  at  all  probable  that 


BAPTISMS    AT    PENTECOST.  109 

they  were  immersed.  Did  they  stand  all  day  in 
the  clothes  in  which  they  were  plunged  ?  Or  had 
they  suits  of  apparel,  or  convenient  places  to  prepare 
for  immersion  ?  Besides,  it  cannot  be  shown  to  be 
possible  that  the  apostles  could  have  immersed  three 
thousand  in  the  given  time,  even  if  their  strength 
would  have  sufficed.  All  these  cases  appear  to  us 
to  have  been  cases  of  sprinkling  or  affusion. 


CHAPTER    XI. 


Mode  of  Baptism,  continued.  '  Buried  in  Baptism.'  No 
reference  in  the  expression  to  any  mode.  The  word  '  Baptize,' 
used  without  reference  to  a  mode.  Illustrations.  Lord's  Supper. 
Baptism  of  the  children  of  Israel.  Mode  of  Baptism  amongst 
the  earliest  Christians  uncertain.  Reasons  for  baptizing  only  by 
immersion.      Difference  of  opinion  on  the  mode  of  Baptism. 

The  mode  of  Baptism  not  prescribed  in  the  New  Testament. 
Illustration  in  this  of  the  nature  of  Christianity.  Further  illustra- 
tion in  the  Lord's  Supper.  Conformity  to  the  original  mode  of 
the  Supper.      Inferences. 

Reasons  for  preferring  Baptism  by  affusion.  Conclu- 
sion of  the  subject. 

On  leaving  a  Church  to  be  re-baptized. 


There  is  an  expression  in  the  New  Testament, 
which,  perhaps,  more  than  any  other,  leads  many 
to  beheve  that  the  proper  mode  of  Baptism  is 
immersion.  The  expression  is  found  in  two 
places. 

Romans  vi,  4.  Therefore  we  are  buried  ivith 
him  by  Baptism  into  death. 

Colossians  ii,  12.     Buried  with  him  in  Baptistn. 

It  is  said  that  these  passages  refer  to  the  mode 
of  Christ's  Baptism  as  being  that  of  burial  or  immer- 


BURIED    IN    BAPTISM,  111, 

sion,  and  indicate  that  those  who  were  baptized 
in  the  apostles'  time,  were  buried,  or  immersed,  in 
water. 

It  does  not  appear  to  me  that  there  is  the  least 
reference  in  these  expressions  to  the  mode  of  Bap- 
tism, but  that  the  meaning  is,  As  the  burial  of 
Christ  in  the  tomb  signified  that  He  was  dead,  so 
our  Baptism  implies  that  we  must  he  dead  and 
buried  to  sin.  It  is  burial  to  sin,  and  not  burial  in 
water  which  is  here  referred  to,  and  the  proof  is 
this  :  In  the  verse  next  to  the  passage  from  Romans, 
it  is  said,  '  For  if  we  have  been  planted  together  in 
the  likeness  of  his"  —  what?  Baptism?  This 
would  have  been  the  word  if  a  comparison  of  our 
Baptism  with  that  of  Christ  had  been  made.  But 
no ;  it  is  in  the  likeness  of  his  death,  and  not  of 
his  Baptism,  in  which  we  are  here  said  to  be 
planted  together  loith  Him.  Those  who  are  bap-, 
tized  into  Christ,  or  into  a  belief  or  obedience  of 
Him,  are  obliged  unto  a  resemblance,  by  deadness 
to  sin,  to  the  death  of  his  body.  Thus  they  have 
a  fellowship  with  Him  in  his  death,  or  are  buried 
with  Him,  they  dying  unto  sin,  because  He  died 
for  it. 

Were  we  disposed  to  pursue  this  subject,  it  might 
be  said,  in  addition.  There  is  no  proof  that  Christ 
was  buried,  when  He  was  baptized.  We  have  also 
seen  that  it  is  improbable  that  Paul  himself  was 
immersed.  He  would  not  therefore  have  been  able 
to  say  that  we,  meaning  to  include  himself  with 


112  THE    BAPTIZED    CHILD. 

his  fellow  Christians^  were  baptized  hke  Christ,  if 
Christ  were  immersed,  and  Paul  were  sprinkled. 

When,  therefore,  it  is  said  of  Christians  that  they 
Eire  buried  loith  Him  in  Baptism  the  meaning  is, 
They  must  regard  their  Baptism,  whenever,  and  in 
whatever  way  performed,  as  obliging  them  to  be 
dead  and  buried  to  sin,  because  Christ  died  and  was 
buried  that  they  might  thus  die  unto  sin.  An 
attentive  perusal  of  Romans  vi,  will  confirm  this 
view  of  the  subject ;  and  compared  with  the  sol- 
emn and  important  doctrine  there  enforced,  the  idea 
of  a  mere  similarity  in  an  outward  form  of  Baptism 
is  tame  and  without  effect. 

Those  who  practise  immersion  seek  to  derive 
some  authority  for  it  from  the  original  classical  use 
of  the  word  Baptize.  This  is  not  sufficient,  in  our 
view,  to  warrant  the  belief  that  immersion  alone  is 
Baptism.  It  is  often  said,  '  Baptizo,  in  Greek, 
means,  to  plunge,  or  to  immerse ;  therefore,  when 
we  are  commanded  to  be  baptized,  we  must  be  «m- 
mersed,  or  it  is  no  Baptism.' 

The  word  supper  means  a  full  meal ;  following 
out  the  above  argument.  Unless  you  eat  a  full  meal 
at  the  Lord's  Table,  you  have  not  eaten  the  Lord^s 
Supper ! 

The  word  Baptize,  we  see  from  this,  is  sometimes 
used  in  the  New  Testament,  just  as  the  word  Sup- 
per is  employed  in  connection  with  the  other 
ordinance, — not  to  denote  the  quantity,  or  stmode, 
but  merely  a  religious   use  of  a  common  thing, 


THE    BAPTISM    AT    THE    RED    SEA.  113 

without  respect  to  form  or  quantity.  We  have 
eaten  the  Lord's  Supper^  when  we  have  taken  only 
the  smallest  part  of  each  element ;  we  are  Baptized, 
let  the  original  meaning  of  the  word  be  as  it  may, 
when  we  have  had  only  a  little  water  applied 
to  us. 

Again.  When  the  apostle  says  of  the  children 
of  Israel,  And  were  all  baptized  unto  Moses  in  the 
cloud  and  in  the  sea,  the  idea  of  a  mode  of  Baptism 
is  inadmissible  from  its  obvious  contradiction  of  his- 
torical fact.  The  cloud  was  above  and  before  them, 
to  guide  their  march.  Had  they  been  immersed  in 
it,  they  would,  of  course,  have  been  in  a  fog  or  mist, 
and  then  the  cloud,  instead  of  leading  them  safely, 
Avould  have  confused  them.  An  immersion  in  such 
a  mist  would  have  been  more  favorable  to  modern 
controversial  purposes,  than  to  the  amazed  and  anx- 
ious Israelite,  in  that  hour  of  terrour. 

How  could  they  have  been  immersed  'in  the 
^  sea  ? '  The  perfection  of  the  miracle  consisted  in 
their  being  wholly  dry  ;  and  the  women  and  chil- 
dren were  probably  spared  the  inconvenience  of 
such  a  spray  as  would  have  been  necessary  to  resem- 
ble our  Baptisms.  It  is  said.  They  were  immersed, 
by  being  surrounded  with  the  sea.  But  they  were 
not  surrounded  with  it.  The  sea  was  only  '  on 
their  right  hand  and  on  their  left  j '  behind  and  be- 
fore was  an  open  passage. 

Baptized,  therefore,  in  this  case,  denotes  merely  a 
11 


114  THE     BAPTIZED    CHILD. 

devotement,  without  reference  to  its  being  done  by 
immersion,  or  in  any  other  way ;  the  writer 
probably  meant  to  express  this  thought,  that  the 
Israehtes,  as  they  followed  the  cloud,  were  sworn 
under  Moses  by  the  solemn  act  of  passing  through 
the  divided  sea  under  his  guidance. 

It  cannot  be  said,  therefore,  that  baptize  always 
means,  and  ought  always  to  be  translated,  itmnerse. 
The  word,  in  this  case  and  in  others,  has  passed 
into  the  signification  of  a  religious  devotement^ 
without  reference  to  mode,  or  quantity  of  water. 

That  the  earliest  Christians  baptized  by  immer- 
sion, there  is  more  assertion  or  inference  than 
authentic  testimony  ;  but  that  immersion  was  prac- 
ticed within  200  years  after  the  apostles,  and  then 
for  many  centuries,  is  evident  beyond  dispute. 
Whether  the  practice  did  descend  from  the  imme- 
diate successors  of  the  apostles,  no  one  can 
determine. 

It  is  easy  for  controversial  writers  to  assert  or 
deny  the  contrary,  but  an  appeal  to  the  proper 
authorities  shows  us  that  the  mode  of  Baptism 
immediately  after  the  apostles'  time,  is  not  known. 

Grant,  now,  that  there  are  reasons  which  convince 
some  that  immersion  was  practiced  by  the  apostles. 
We  cannot  feel  their  force.  We  see  these  reasons  j 
we  understand  the  argument  from  the  original 
meaning  of  the  word  baptize ;  but  this  no  more 
convinces  us  that  Christian  Baptism  must  be  per- 


THE    SCRIPTURAL    DOCTRINE    OF    BAPTISM.       115 

formed  by  dipping,  than  the  word  Supper  convinces 
us  that  we  must  make  a  full  meal  at  the  Lord's 
Table. 

We  understand  the  argument  that  John  is  said  to 
have  baptized  in  Jordan,  but  we  are  convinced  that 
this  does  not  denote  the  mode  of  Baptism,  but  only 
the  fact  that  John  used  the  Jordan  for  his  Baptisms. 
We  are  familiar  Avith  the  terms  down  into  and  up 
out  of  but  we  know  that  the  original  Greek  au- 
thorizes us  to  say,  down  into  and  away  from  ;  and 
that  Philip,  who  went  dozv?iinto  the  water,  was  not 
immersed ;  and  moreover,  that  the  original,  in  this 
case,  neither  requires  us  to  suppose  anything  more 
than  a  fountain  or  brook,  nor  any  act  of  the  parties 
in  it,  rather  than  by  the  side  of  it.  Still,  learned 
and  conscientious  men  prefer  to  think  that  immersion 
7aas  the  primitive  mode  of  Baptism  ;  and  others, 
equally  learned  and  conscientious,  declare  that 
im^nersion  is  not  prescribed  in  the  New  Testament, 
by  example  or  precept.  These  men  can  all  judge 
of  evidence ;  they  all  feel  their  accountability  to 
God  for  so  doing ;  and  none  can  boast  themselves 
against  their  fellows  in  these  respects. 

Does  any  one  say,  It  is  not  probable  that  so 
important  a  thing  as  the  mode  of  an  ordinance 
would  be  left  uncertain  ? 

The  fact,  that  it  is  uncertain,  is  evinced  by  the  dis- 
agreement, upon  the  subject,  of  the  ablest  scholars, 
and  the  most  devoted  Christians.    Christianity,  then? 


116  THE    BAPTIZED    CHILD. 

binds  us  to  no  one  form  in  any  ordinance  or  service  ; 
and  in  this  respect  it  breathes  a  free  spirit,  and  seeks 
in  its  worshippers  only  the  spirit,  and  the  spiritual 
truth.  It  permits  immersion,  pouring,  sprinkling, 
in  Baptism,  and  owns,  by  the  richest  of  Heaven's 
blessings,  —  the  gift  of  that  Spirit,  whose  influence 
is  emblematized  by  the  water,  —  all  true  Christians 
of  every  name,  in  whatever  form  the  water  of  Bap- 
tism may  have  been  applied  to  their  bodies. 

Observe  the  spirit  of  the  Christian  religion  in 
regard  to  modes  and  forms,  as  illustrated  in  the 
Lord's  Supper.  This  Supper  was  instituted  in  an 
upper  room  at  midnight ;  there  was  no  leaven  in 
the  bread  used  on  the  occasion,  (for  Christ  had 
called  his  disciples  together  to  eat  the  Passover ; ) 
they  reclined  upon  couches  around  the  table,  lean- 
ing the  head  upon  the  left  arm  ;  hence,  John  is  said 
to  have  leaned  upon  Jesus'  bosom,  because  he  lay 
next  to  Him,  (which  was  a  common  mark  of  favour 
to  the  particular  friend  of  the  master  of  the  feast,) 
and  his  head  was  on  the  Saviour's  breast.  There 
Avere  no  females  present  at  this  Supper. 

Now,  Christ  has  said.  Do  this  in  reme'tnhrance  of 
me.  Does  any  Christian  church  do  this,  in  the 
form  and  manner  here  described.  On  what  princi- 
ple do  we  vary  from  it  ?  We  say.  The  outward 
form  is  not  essential  to  the  validity  and  intention  of 
the  ordinance.  So  long  as  bread  and  wine  are 
used  in  remembrance  of  the  Lord,  the  ordinance  is 
satisfactory  to  every  communicant,  and  no  one  feels 


STRICTNESS    IN    THE    MODE    OF    THE    SUPPER.    117 

that  he  does  not  receive  the  Lord's  Supper  because 
the  mode  in  which  it  is  administered  differs  from 
that  in  which  Christ  gave  it  to  his  disciples. 

If  the  precise  mode  in  which  the  first  Supper 
was  celebrated  is  not  essential  to  the  right  observ- 
ance of  that  ordinance,  we  cannot  see  that  any 
particular  mode  of  applying  water  is  essential  to 
Christian  Baptism.  If  strictness  of  form  is 
necessary  in  either  of  the  ordinances,  we  should  be 
more  afraid  of  deviating  from  the  original  mode  in 
which  the  Supper  was  first  celebrated,  because  it 
is  said,  Whoso  eateth  and  drinketh  unworthily,  is 
guilty  of  the  body  and  blood  of  the  Lord.  The 
man  who  should  insist  upon  having  the  Lord's 
Supper  administered  in  precise  imitation  of  the  form 
used  by  Christ,  would,  however,  have  more  reason 
for  his  requirement,  in  our  view,  than  if  he  should 
insist  upon  one  form  of  Baptism.  There  can  be  no 
difference  of  opinion  as  to  the  manner  in  which  the 
Supper  was  celebrated  ;  but  there  is  more  reason  to 
believe,  that,  in  several  cases,  to  say  the  least, 
Baptism  was  formerly  administered  otherwise  than 
by  immersion,  than  that  it  was  administered  by 
immersion  at  all. 

It  would  seem,  from  all  that  has  been  said,  that 
God  has  purposely  left  the  mode  of  Baptism  unde- 
termined, because  it  is  unimportant ;  and  that  we 
are  no  more  confined  to  one  mode  iji  this  ordinance, 
than  to  one  precise  posture  of  the  body,  to  the  use 
11* 


118  THE   BAPTIZED    CHILD. 

of  one  kind  of  bread  or  wine,  to  the  hour  of 
midnight,  or  to  an  upper  room,  in  celebrating  the 
Lord's  Supper.  It  is,  in  our  view,  one  of  the  most 
beautiful  traits  of  Christianity,  that  it  triumphs  over 
external  modes  and  forms,  and  seeks  only  a  spirit- 
ual effect  by  its  two  simple  rites  :  leaving  it  to  the 
choice  of  every  Christian  in  what  way  to  have 
water  administered  to  him  in  Baptism,  and  in  what 
way,  so  far  as  outward  forms  are  concerned,  he  will 
receive  the  Lord's  Supper. 

If  it  be  asked  why  we  prefer  Baptism  by  sprink- 
ling, to  Baptism  by  immersion,  the  answer  is  as 
follows : 

It  seems  to  us  more  agreeable  to  the  various 
circumstances  of  seasons,  age,  sex,  health,  con- 
venience, comfort,  propriety,  composure  of  mind. 
It  is  the  only  form  of  Baptism  which  can  be 
practiced  with  convenience  in  all  climates,  at  all 
seasons  of  the  year.  It  has  an  advantage  over 
immersion  in  a  river,  in  the  fact  that  we  are  not 
restricted  by  the  weather  from  baptizing  in  this 
manner  ;  and  it  seems  to  us  unlikely  that  God  would 
prescribe  any  mode  of  a  religious  ordinance,  under 
the  Christian  dispensation,  which  could  not,  if  we 
wished  it,  be  performed  for  several  months  in  a 
year.  We  cannot  feel  that  it  is  consistent  with 
the  spirit  of  Christianity  to  break  the  ice  of  a  river 
for  the  purpose,  of  Christian  Baptism  ;  —  not  that 
any  one  is  forbidden  to  do  it  who  sees  fit,  or  that 


REASONS    FOR    BAPTISM    BY    SPRINKLING.         119 

any  one  has  authority  to  question  the  Christian 
hberty  of  his  fellow  Christians  in  this  particular, 
for  that  would  be  an  equal  violation  of  the  spirit  of 
Christianity ;  but  it  strikes  the  natural  feelings  of 
most  men  as  an  austerity  which  does  not  comport 
with  our  religion,  so  much  as  with  some  others. 
The  Saviour's  words  on  another  subject  may  be 
accommodated  to  this  case,  and  on  the  same  prin- 
ciple we  may  say,  Baptism  loas  made  for  man^  and 
not  m^an  for  Baptism. 

In  warm  climates,  where  bathing  in  a  river  is  a 
common  practice,  and  the  feelings  of  the  people  are 
thereby  accustomed  to  it,  many  of  the  objections 
which  some  feel  to  public  immersion,  are  obviated. 
Still,  we  think  that  affusion  is  a  better  emblem  of 
that  which  the  washing  of  water  typifies,  viz  :  the 
influence  of  the  Spirit  ;  which  is  represented  in 
the  Bible  as  applied  to  the  subject,  rather  than  the 
subject  applied  to,  or  immersed  in,  that  influence. 
Christianity,  of  which  Baptism  is  one  of  the  seals, 
is  called  the  dispensation  of  the  Spirit,  and  the 
Spirit  is  always  spoken  of  as  being  poured  out,  and 
shed  upon  us,  and  as  descending  upon  us  like  rain. 

We  believe  that  Baptism  by  immersion  is  valid  ; 
and  we  would  not  interpose  our  preference  of 
another  mode  to  the  hindrance  of  full  liberty  of 
conscience  or  taste  in  others.  But  that  God  has 
confined  us  to  any  form  of  Baptism,  without  regard 
to  the  manners  and  customs  of  different  nations,  we 


120  THE    BAPTIZED    CHILD. 

think  is  inconsistent  with  the  spirit  of  the  Christian 
rehgion. 

In  view  of  all  that  has  now  been  said,  the  reader, 
whom  I  have  supposed  to  have  been  baptized  in 
infancy,  may  see  reason  to  believe  that  the  inode 
of  Baptism  is  not  essential  to  its  validity,  and  there- 
fore, if  he  is  satisfied  that  he  was  a  proper  subject 
for  Baptism,  as  I  have  also  endeavoured  to  show, 
and  shall  illustrate  further,  there  is  no  ground  for 
scruples  about  his  Infant  Baptism. 

It  may  be  that  you  are  already  a  member  of  a 
Christian  church.  If  you  are  not  deceived,  you 
have  had  communion  with  God,  and  Christ,  and  the 
Spirit  of  all  grace,  which  has  been  to  you  a  seal  of 
your  hope.  If  you  know  anything,  you  know  that 
you  love  God.  You  have  had  evidence,  since 
your  connection  with  the  church,  of  some  increase 
in  Christian  character,  and  of  acceptance  with 
God. 

Perhaps  you  have  become  dissatisfied  with  your 
Baptism  by  affusion ;  you  propose  to  leave  your 
church,  be  immersed,  and  join  another  church  who 
hold  that  immersion  is  essential  to  church  mem- 
bership. 

What  I  now  say,  has  no  reference  to  the  belief 
or  practice  of  that  church  whose  right  to  their  own 
opinion  and  conduct  is  as  sacred  as  our  own.  But, 
addressing  a  member  of  our  own  denomination,  as 


A    PARABLE    ON    BEING    RE -BAPTIZED.  121 

I  now  do,  I  feel  at  liberty  to  speak  with  the  freedom 
of  a  Pastor  to  the  members  of  his  flock. 

Your  feelings  and  proposed  conduct  may  be  thus 
illustrated.  I  take  so  familiar  a  case  with  some 
hesitation ;  yet,  as  it  aj^tly  expresses  the  writer's 
views  of  the  conduct  referred  to,  I  shall  make  no 
apology  for  using  it. 

An  individual  was  once  invited  to  meet  a  few 
friends  at  the  house  of  a  distinguished  citizen.  He 
felt  embarrassed  at  the  thought  of  complying  with 
the  invitation,  for  the  host  was  a  stranger  to  him, 
in  some  measure,  and  far  above  him  in  life.  But 
when  he  entered  the  room,  he  was  received  with 
great  attention  and  kindness ;  soon,  he  was  seated 
at  table  with  the  family  and  their  friends,  and 
was  made  to  feel  that  he  was  welcome,  and  that 
his  host  was  desirous  of  his  acquaintance  and 
friendship. 

After  he  had  thus  been  placed  quite  at  his  ease, 
and  had  been  A^ery  happy,  a  cloud  came  over  his 
mind.  He  recollected  that  when  he  entered  the 
house,  he  omitted  a  very  important  ceremony ;  or 
that  the  form  of  it  was  so  unlike  the  custom  of  good 
society,  that  he  had,  in  his  own  opinion,  virtually 
omitted  the  thing  itself.  Either  he  had  not 
rung  at  the  door,  or  had  not  been  properly  intro- 
duced, or  had  not  paid  proper  respects  at  his  in- 
troduction to  certain  members  of  the  family.  He 
begged  to  be  excused,  rose  abruptly  from  his  seat, 


122  THE    BAPTIZED    CHILD. 

in  the  midst  of  regrets,  went  to  the  outer  door,  and 
shut  himself  into  the  street,  then  rung  the  bell,  the 
door  was  opened  in  due  form,  he  was  ushered  into 
the  room,  paid  proper  respects  to  his  host  and  each 
member  of  the  company,  and  took  his  seat  again  at 
table. 

His  host  hardly  knew  whether  to  smile  at  his 
scrupulous  and  formal  conduct,  or  to  reprove  him 
gently  for  thinking  that  after  he  had  received  the 
most  satisfying  proofs  of  regard,  he  should  suppose 
him  to  be  so  set  about  modes  and  forms  as  to  wish 
to  have  this  disturbance  made  by  an  attempt  at  a 
more  ceremonious  introduction. 

Such  appears  to  me  to  be  the  conduct  of  every 
Christian  who,  having  received  proofs  of  divine 
favour  in  his  connection  with  the  church  of  Christ, 
must  needs  go  through  the  ceremony  of  joining  the 
church  of  Christ  again,  because  he  thinks  that 
Christ  Avould  have  the  water  of  Baptism  applied  to 
the  body  in  a  different  quantity,  or  by  a  different 
mode !  And  I  cannot  but  feel  that  Christ  looks 
upon  such  conduct,  perhaps  with  great  tenderness 
and  compassion,  but  at  the  same  time  with  sorrow 
that  his  friend  should  have  no  better  knowledge  of 
the  nature  and  spirit  of  Christianity,  as  distinguished 
from  Judaism. 


CHAPTER    XII, 

The  authority  for  Infant  Baptism.    Objection  considered. 

Autiiority  for  Infant  Baptism  illustrated.      I.    By  family  prayer. 

II.     Females   at  the   Lord's  Table.      III.     The   change   of  the 

Sabbath.      Inferences. 
Proof  from  the  early  Christian  Fathers.    I.   Augustine. 

II.   Cyprian  and  others.      III.  Pelagius.      IV.  Origen.     Remarks 

on  this  kind  of  evidence. 

It  is  frequently  said,  '  There  is  no  commmid  in 
the  New  Testament  to  baptize  children.' 

There  are  many  things  for  which  we  have  no 
specific  command,  whose  propriety  and  duty  are  as 
plain  from  the  nature  of  things,  as  any  mention  of 
them  by  name,  in  a  particular  precept,  could  make 
them. 

An  illustration  of  this  we  have  in  the  duty  of 
family  prayer. 

The  neglect  of  family  prayer,  by  the  father  of  a 
family,  a  member  of  the  church,  would  be  considered 
censurable  ;  and  the  observance  of  this  duty  is 
expected  of  a  man  who  has  a  family,  when  he 
makes  a  profession  of  his  faith.  It  is  probable  that 
most  evangelical    ministers    and   churches   would 


124 


THE    BAPTIZED    CHILD. 


hesitate  to  receive  a  man  into  the  church,  even  if 
they  were  satisfied  with  the  general  evidences  of 
his  piety,  if  he  should  refuse  to  practice  family 
prayer. 

But  such  a  man  might  say  to  the  minister  and 
to  the  church,  Show  me  one  command  in  the  Bible 
to  observe  family  prayer,  and  I  will  do  it. 

We  should  search  the  Bible  in  vain  for  a  specific 
mention  of  family  prayer.  Ministers,  who  would 
preach  upon  this  subject,  can  never  find  a  text  that 
comes  nearer  to  it  than  this  :  '  And  David  returned 
to  bless  his  household.'  A  caviller  could  easily  sug- 
gest a  want  of  connection  between  the  text  and  the 
duty  derived  from  it. 

But  it  may  be  said,  The  duty  of  family  prayer  is 
very  plain  from  the  apostolic  injunction,  '  I  will 
that  men  pray  everywhere,'  and  the  family  is 
included  by  the  term  'everywhere.'  We  might 
accede  to  this  remark,  and  add,  The  Saviour's  last 
command,  '  Go  teach  all  nations,  baptizing  them,' 
warrants  the  Baptism  of  Infants,  who  are  included 
by  the  expression,  'all  nations.' 

It  will  be  seen,  from  what  has  been  said,  that  the 
duty  of  family  prayer,  so  important  and  proper,  and 
a  prerequisite,  under  ordinary  circumstances,  in  the 
way  of  evidence  of  a  right  state  of  feeling,  to  ad- 
mission to  the  church,  is,  after  all,  only  a  matter  of 
inference  from  the  nature  and  fitness  of  things. 

On  the  principle  of  rejecting  Infant  Baptism  for 


AUTHORITY  FOR    INFANT  BAPTISM.  125 

want  of  a  specific  mention  of  infants  as  subjects  of 
Baptism,  we  could  not  admonish,  nor  even  blame 
a  man,  who  should  reject  family  prayer,  saying, 
The  Bible  contains  no  command  to  pray  in  the 
family ! 

We  see,  then,  that  a  duty  may,  in  some  cases,  be 
a  matter  of  inference,  and  that  the  absence  of  a 
specific  mention  of  a  thing,  which  may  be  included 
in  a  general  direction  or  principle,  is  no  argument 
against  that  which  is  not  thus  specified.  The  New 
Testament  contains  several  striking  instances  of  this 
principle. 

There  were  no  females  present  when  the  Lord's 
Supper  was  first  instituted,  and  we  find  no  com- 
mand to  admit  them  to  this  ordinance.  Yet,  the 
nature  of  the  Lord's  Supper  is  such,  that  we  infer 
their  right  to  it ;  and  in  this  case,  inference  is  as 
good  authority  as  a  positive  command. 

We  nowhere  find  a  command  to  observe  the  first 
day  of  the  week  instead  of  the  seventh,  as  the 
Christian  Sabbath.  It  is  a  matter  of  inference,  from 
the  repeated  mention  of  the  assembling  of  the 
apostles  on  that  day,  that  it  was  the  intention  of 
Christ  that  the  first,  instead  of  the  seventh  day, 
should  be  observed  in  the  Christian  church  as  the 
Sabbath.  When  the  Christian  Sabbath  took  the 
place  of  the  Jewish,  some,  without  doubt,  com- 
plained. We  have  no  express  precept  iox  this  change, 
and  will  therefore  observe  the  seventh  day,  as 
12 


126  THE    BAPTIZED    CHILD. 

before,  instead  of  the  first.  And  so  we  read  that 
they  did.  But  the  apostles,  while  they  were  kind 
and  gentle  towards  those  who  required  positive  pre- 
cepts, were  themselves  able  to  discern  the  propriety 
of  the  proposed  change,  and  to  conform  to  it,  though, 
as  far  as  we  can  learn  from  their  writings,  it  was 
wholly  a  matter  of  inference  with  them,  and  not  of 
precept.  The  day  of  the  Saviour's  resurrection 
took  precedence  in  their  feelings  of  that  day,  which 
had  before  been  observed  as  holy  time,  through 
which,  however,  the  tomb  retained  their  Lord  and 
Master.  They  perceived,  in  this,  his  intention  of 
uniting  the  influence  of  the  Sabbath  with  his  cause, 
by  making  the  day  of  his  resurrection  the  Sabbath 
day.  They  readily  fell  in  with  so  wise  and  suita- 
ble an  expedient ;  but  it  must  be  observed  that 
they  record  no  command  of  Christ  upon  the  subject ; 
and  our  authority  for  hallowing  the  first  day  of  the 
week  is  only  example  and  tradition.  Yet,  what 
Christian  mind  does  not  feel  the  propriety  of  making 
that  the  Sabbath,  on  which  the  Lord  of  life  and 
glory  confirmed  our  faith  by  his  resurrection  ? 
The  mere  mention  of  the  assembling  of  the  apostles 
on  the  first  day  of  the  week,  is,  however,  as  good 
authority  for  our  observance  of  the  Lord's  day,  as 
the  mention  of  the  Baptism  of  households  is  for  the 
practice  of  Infant  Baptism. 

Female  communion,  the  observance  of  the  Lord's 
day  as  the  Sabbath,  and  Infant  Baptism  are,  to  our 


CHURCH    HISTORY.  127 

apprehension,  equally  and  most  plainly  inferible 
from  the  natm-e  of  things.  The  very  absence  of  a 
specific  command  upon  these  points  is  fitted  to 
heighten  our  respect  for  Christianity,  as  a  system 
that  can  trust  its  followers  to  exercise  their  own 
sense  of  propriety,  if  guarded  by  the  Christian 
spirit,  and  in  so  doing,  purposely  exemplifies  its 
variance  from  that  dispensation  in  which  every- 
thing was  marked  off  to  the  apprehension  of  the 
people  by  the  square  and  compass  of  a  particular 
precept. 

The  Baptism  of  infants  is,  to  our  minds,  plainly 
deducible  from  the  nature  of  Baptism,  and  from  the 
suitableness  of  the  thing  itself.  We  regard  Baptism 
as  a  sign  of  separation  to  the  Christian  faith.  While 
those  who  believe,  are,  of  course,  entitled  t-o  it,  we 
think  that  a  pious  parent  who  is  resolved  to  bring 
up  his  child  on  the  principles  of  the  Christian  reli- 
gion practically  enforced,  may  present  it  for  the  seal 
of  Baptism. 

From  the  full  testimony  in  the  History  of  the 
Church,  that  the  Baptism  of  infants  was  practised 
by  the  apostles  and  early  Christians,  I  select  the 
following,  from  Wall's  History  of  Infant  Baptism. 

Augustine,  a  celebrated  father  of  the  early 
church,  wrote  within  280  years  of  the  apostles. 
In  Milner's  Church  History,  he  is  called  the  great 
luminary  of  his  age.     I  mention  this,  not  to  get  any 


128  THE    BAPTIZED    CHILD. 

authority  from  his  name  for  the  practice  of  Infant 
Baptism,  but  only  to  show  his  competency  as  a 
witness.  He  says,  ''  The  whole  Church  of  Christ 
has  constantly  held  that  mfants  ivere  baptized.'''^ 
^'•Infant  Baptism  the  lohole  Church  practises; 
it  was  not  instituted  by  Councils^  but  was  ever 
in  use.^^ 

A  learned  scholar  and  a  minister,  who  valued  his 
reputation,  would  not  hazard  it  by  such  bold  and 
unequivocal  assertions,  unless  he  knew  certainly 
whereof  he  affirmed  :  —  especially  when  history 
and  tradition  were  accessible  to  any  who  chose  to 
contradict  him,  and  the  short  period  between  his 
day  and  the  apostolic  age  made  it  easy  to  ascertain 
the  truth. 

One  hundred  and  fifty  years,  only,  after  the 
apostles,  a  Council  of  66  Bishops  was  held  at  Car- 
thage. A  letter  was  receive#  from  another  Bishop, 
requesting  the  opinion  of  the  Council  on  two 
subjects,  one  of  which  Avas,  Whether  an  infant 
might  be  baptized  before  it  was  eight  days  old? 
The  following  is  an  extract  from  the  answer  of  the 
Council  : 

'  Cyprian,  and  the  rest  of  the  Bishops  who  were 
present  in  Council,  66  in  number,  to  Fidus  our 
brother,  Greeting:  —  Whereas  you  judge  that 
infants  must  not  be  baptized  within  tAVO  or  three 
days  after  they  are  born,  but  the  rule  in  circum- 
cision must  be  observed,  and  no    one  should  be 


CHURCH    HISTORY.  129 

bajDtized  and  sanctified  before  the  eighth  day,  the 
whole  Council  is  of  a  different  opinion.' 

This  proves  that  Infant  Baptism  was  practised 
at  least  one  hundred  and  fifty  years  after  the 
apostles,  and  if  the  practice  were  of  human  origin, 
it  is  not  credible  that,  in  that  Council  of  devoted 
men  who,  as  Milner  says,  had  stood  the  fiery  trial 
of  some  of  the  severest  persecutions  ever  known, 
there  was  not  a  question  raised  as  to  the  propriety 
of  this  practice,  but  a  unanimous  vote  that  a  child 
might,  in  their  opinion,  be  baptized  as  soon  as  the 
parents  pleased. 

Pelagius  and  others,  who  lived  within  300  years 
after  the  apostles,  denied  the  doctrine  of  original 
sin.  A  great  controversy  ensued.  Augustine,  the 
champion  of  Orthodoxy  at  that  day,  demanded  why 
infants  were  baptized,  if  they  had  no  sin  ?  With 
Augustine's  views  of  the  object  of  Baptism,  we  are 
not  concerned.     Our   point  is  the  historical  fact. 

This  question  was  continually  pressed  upon 
Pelagius  and  his  associates,  as  an  unanswerable 
argument.  Now,  if  there  had  been  a  possibility  of 
doubt  as  to  the  proper  authority  for  Infant  Baptism, 
these  acute  and  learned  heretics  would  have  made 
use  of  it.  The  force  of  Augustine's  main  argument 
could  have  been  broken,  by  proving,  had  it  been 
possible,  that  Infant  Baptism  was  improper.  This 
was  not  attempted,  but  efforts  were  made  to  show 
the  propriety  of  baptizing  infants,  even  if  they  had 
12* 


130  THE    BAPTIZED    CHILD. 

no  sin.  So  far  from  questioning  the  propriety  of 
Infant  Baptism,  Pelagius  said  :  '  /  7icver  heard  of 
any^  not  even  the  7nost  impious  heretic^  who  denied 
Baptism  to  infants.  Men  slander  me,  as  if  I 
denied  Baptism  to  infants.  Baptism  ought  to  he 
administered  to  infants  with  the  same  sacramental 
words  which  are  used  in  the  case  of  adult  persons.'' 

Origen  was  born  within  85  years  after  the  apostles. 
His  grandfather  or  great  grandfather  could  have 
been  cotemporary  with  the  apostles.  Eusebius, 
the  historian  says,  that  his  grandfather  and  great 
grandfather  were  both  Christians.  Origen  must 
have  known  the  opinion  and  practice  of  the  apostles 
in  the  matter  of  Infant  Baptism.  He  had  also 
travelled  extensively,  and  was  acquainted  with  the 
customs  of  the  whole  Christian  church. 

In  commenting  upon  a  chapter  in  Leviticus,  he 
says.  According  to  the  usage  of  the  church.  Bap- 
tism is  given  even  to  Infants.  In  his  commentary 
on  Romans,  he  says.  For  this  cause  it  was  that  the 
church  received  an  order  from  the  apostles  to  give 
Baptism  even  to  infants. 

We  have  lately  seen  it  stated  that  '  Infant  Bap- 
tism was  instituted  in  the  year  1311,  by  the 
authority  of  the  Pope  ;  and  in  a  Council  composed 
of  Episcopalians,  Independents  and  Presbyterians, 
assembled  in  the  Chapel  of  King  Henry  VII.,  in  the 
year  1643.'     It  would  appear  from  this,  that  the 


REASON    FOR    AND    AGAINST    INFANT    BAPTISM.      131 

practice  had  tivo  or  three  births^  probably,  because 
one  would  not  be  considered  sufficiently  spurious. 
—  The  quotations  made  above  from  the  early  fa- 
thers have  never  been,  and  cannot  be,  refuted. 

We  would  not  practise  Infant  Baptism  any  sooner 
because  Origen,  and  Cyprian,  and  Justin  Martyr,  did 
it.  If  Church  History  had  been  silent  as  to  their 
opinion  and  conduct,  we  should  still  have  the 
same  grounds  in  Scripture  and  reason  for  the  prac- 
tice as  at  present.  But  when,  in  addition  to  these 
reasons,  we  find  that  able  and  pious  ministers  of 
Christ,  who  succeeded  the  apostles,  and  lived  near 
their  times,  declare,    '  Infant  Baptism,  the  whole 

CHURCH      PRACTISES  :        It     WAS      NOT      ORDAINED      BY 

Councils,  but  was  ever  in  use  :  The  church 
have  received  an  order  from  the  apostles  to 
GIVE  Baptism  even  to  infants,'  could  any  form 
of  words  make  us  more  certain  that  the  practice  of 
Infant  Baptism  is  accordant  with  the  will  of  Christ  ? 

But  why,  then,  do  Christians  differ  as  to  the 
propriety  of  Infant  Baptism  ? 

For  this  reason,  chiefly:  Some  adopt  the 
principle  that  a  specific  mention  of  children,  in 
Scripture,  as  proper  subjects  of  Baptism,  is  neces- 
sary to  warrant  the  practice ;  and  this,  they  say, 
they  do  not  find. 

Others  say.  That  a  specific  mention  of  children 
is  no  more  necessary  to  extend  Baptism  to  the 
infants  of  believers,  than  a  similar  specification  is 


133  THE    BAPTIZED    CHILD. 

necessary  to  admit  females  to  the  Lord's  Supper,  to 
have  two  services  on  the  Sabbath,  to  require  chil- 
dren to  be  present  at  family  prayer.  They  say 
that,  in  their  view,  the  intention  of  Baptism,  and 
the  nature  of  the  case,  affords  sufficient  ground  for 
Infant  Baptism. 

Here,  men  differ;  and  between  these  two  princi- 
ples, which  are  the  grounds  of  the  rejection  or 
observance  of  the  practice,  the  reader  will  be  left, 
in  view  of  all  that  has  been  said,  to  take  his 
choice. 


CHAPTER    XIII. 


Kelation  of  baptized  children  to  the  church.  Dif- 
ference in  the  constitution  and  grounds  of  membership,  in  the 
Jewish  and  Christian  church.  Illustration  of  the  use  of  Baptism, 
and  its  intention.  Objection  to  Infant  Baptism,  that  unbaptized 
children  are  frequently  converted. 

Influence  of  a  right  observance  of  this  practice  in 
THE  CONVERSION  OF  THE  WORLD.  Pious  parental  influence 
the  great  means  of  strengthening  and  increasing  the  church. 
The  FAMILY,  considered  as  a  means  of  spiritual  good.  Appeal 
to  parents.      Conclusion.      Future    scenes    in  parental 

AND   FILIAL  RELATIONS. 


It  is  a  frequent  question,  What  relation  do  bap- 
tized children  hold  to  the  church  ? 

This  question  arises  from  the  fact  that  when  the 
ancient  Jewish  iiation  was  the  church  of  God, 
children  were  iuembe7^s  of  the  church.  But  the 
constitution  of  the  Christian  church  is  diiferent 
from  that  of  the  Jewish  ;  we  are  not  members  of 
the  visible  Christian  church  by  birth  or  lineage  ; 
but  in  every  nation,  he  that  serveth  God  is  entitled 
to  membership.  Hence,  while  we  believe  that  the 
children  of  believers  now  have  a  peculiar  relation 


134  THE    BAPTIZED    CHILD. 

to  God,  like  the  children  of  his  ancient  covenant 
people,  their  relation  to  the  church  is  different 
from  that  held  by  the  latter,  because  of  the  differ- 
ence in  the  constitution  of  the  two  churches.  The 
only  respect — ^but  it  is  the  important  one  — in  which 
children  of  believers  now  resemble  the  children  of 
the  ancient  covenant  people,  is  in  the  feelings  with 
which  God  regards  them  for  the  parents'  sake.  But 
as  church  membership  is  not  now  a  national  right, 
children  are  in  no  respect  members  of  the  Christian 
church.  At  the  same  time,  the  reason  why  God 
formerly  admitted  them  into  the  church,  and  into 
the  covenant  made  with  their  parents,  extends,  we 
think,  to  the  children  of  believers  throughout  the 
world  ;  and  this  reason  is.  His  regard  for  his  people. 
'  Because  He  loved  the  fathers,  therefore  He  chose 
their  seed.' 

Another  view  of  this  point  is  of  importance. 
No  one  can  doubt  that  an  object  of  Jehovah,  in  his 
directions  and  arrangements  concerning  the  children 
of  his  ancient  people,  was,  to  secure  the  succession 
of  a  pious  race.  For  this  purpose,  the  children  of 
his  own  people,  rather  than  of  the  world  in  general, 
were  calculated  upon  to  perpetuate  religion  in  the 
earth.  This  was  a  natural  and  obvious  arrangement. 
Is  it  not  equally  natural  and  proper  now  to  expect 
that  religion  will  be  perpetuated  in  the  same  way, 
and  are  we  not  to  look  to  the  offspring  of  Christians 
for  the  transmission  of  a  religious  influence  in  the 


ILLUSTRATION    OF    BAPTISM.  135 

world  ?  Is  the  family  a  nursery  for  all  the  depart- 
ments of  active  life,  of  civil  and  patriotic  service, 
and  shall  it  not  secm'e  the  perpetuity  of  the  true 
faith  ? 

,  For  this  purpose,  we  believe,  children  were 
anciently  included  with  their  parents  in  the  cove- 
nant of  God,  and  as  the  children  of  Christians  now 
stand  in  the  same  relation  to  the  continuance  of 
religion  in  the  earth  with  the  children  of  the 
ancient  church,  they  have  a  peculiar  relation  to  the 
Christian  church. 

Now,  though  these  children  sustain  no  relation 
to  the  church  in  the  way  of  accountability  or 
subjection  to  discipline,  they  do  sustain  a  most 
interesting  relation  to  it,  as  those  in  whom,  from 
their  early  consecration,  and  intelligent  and  faithful 
instruction  as  children  devoted  to  Christ,  is  the 
hope  of  Christ  and  of  his  kingdom. 

Another  view  of  the  propriety  of  baptizing  them, 
is  as  follows  :  v 

Suppose  that  a  great  reformer,  commissioned 
from  Heaven,  should  arise  in  this  land,  and  should 
visit  all  our  towns  to  establish  a  certain  form  of 
doctrine  and  practice,  appointing  the  stamp  of  a 
cross  to  be  made  upon  the  hand  of  every  one  who 
received  the  system  to  denote  that  he  was  a  dis- 
ciple, and  to  remind  him  of  the  obligations  implied 
in  the  new  faith. 

That  mark  would  be  considered  as  a  sign  of  the 


136  THE    BAPTIZED    CHILD. 

devotion  or  separation  of  him  who  received  it  to 
the  Christian  faith. 

While  the  reformer  would  wish  that  every  one 
who  should  receive  the  sign,  would  believe  with 
all  his  heart,  and  would  refuse  to  give  it,  if  he 
suspected  hypocrisy,  he  would  nevertheless  regard 
it  more  as  a  sign  or  seal  of  discipleship,  than  as  a 
discriminating  index  of  the  state  of  the  heart. 

So,  while  the  apostles  required  of  every  believing 
adult,  a  profession  of  his  faith  in  Christianity,  and 
of  course  sought  for  evidences  of  his  sincerity,  they 
felt,  without  doubt,  in  placing  the  sign  of  Chris- 
tianity upon  him,  that  they  were  signifying  his 
separation  to  the  Christian  religion  as  a  system,  rather 
than  the  certainty  of  his  spiritual  regeneration.  We 
know  not  how  else  to  understand  Paul's  feelings, 
when  he  says,  '  I  thank  God,  I  baptized  none  of 
you  but  Crispus  and  Gains.  For  Christ  sent  me 
not  to  baptize,  but  to  preach  the  Gospel.' 

Such  being  the  great  object  of  Baptism,  how 
perfectly  natural  for  the  apostles  to  secure  an  influ- 
ence for  Christianity  in  the  earth,  by  taking,  as  it 
were,  a  vow  of  every  believing  parent  for  the 
consecration  of  his  children  to  the  Christian  faith. 
How  natural  for  the  parent  to  say.  Let  the  sacred 
sign,  whose  impression  marks  upon  my  heart  my 
own  consecration  to  the  Christian  religion,  be  laid 
upon  my  child,  I  engaging  thereby  to  bring  him 
up  for  Christ,  and  to  instruct  him  hereafter  that  I 


REASONABLENESS    OF    INFANT    BAPTISM.  137 

have  separated  him,  by  the  use  of  the  Christian 
seal,  to  the  behef  and  practice  of  Christianity. 
What  a  powerful  means  would  this  be  of  securing 
for  Christianity  a  hold  upon  the  rising  generation  ! 
The  rite  of  Baptism  administered  to  the  child, 
would  make  the  parents  feel  that  their  child  was 
consecrated  by  an  act  of  religious  devotion ;  and 
we  all  know  the  power  of  an  appropriate  solemnity 
upon  the  mind.  Such  a  means  of  propagating  the 
Christian  faith  we  do  not  believe  the  apostles  over- 
looked. We  believe  that  their  commission  included 
it.  We  have  seen  from  the  first  of  testimony,  that 
'  the  early  church  received  an  order  from  the  apos- 
tles to  give  Baptism  unto  children.' 

With  the  same  understanding  of  the  original 
intention  of  Baptism,  loe  give  the  ordinance  to 
children.  It  will  be  seen  that  the  object  is  not  to 
mark  children  as  members,  in  any  sense,  of  the 
the  church  of  Christ,  but  to  impress  upon  the 
parents  and,  through  them,  afterwards,  upon  their 
children,  the  feeling  that  there  is  a  special  relation 
between  those  children  of  the  covenant  and  God, 
and  a  special  obligation  upon  them  to  believe, 
practise,  and  maintain  the  Christian  religion. 

Were  there  nothing  in  Infant  Baptism  but  the 

pleasure  of  presenting  a  child  in  public,   or  if  it 

were  only  a  distinctive  ordinance  of  a  denomination 

of  Christians,    this   book   would   not   have    been 

13 


138  THE    BAPTIZED    CHILD. 

written.  It  is  because  the  writer  feels,  in  common 
with  ministerial  brethren,  that  the  practice  properly 
performed  and  carried  out  will  do  much  for  the 
conversion  of  the  world,  that  these  pages  are  pre- 
sented to  Christian  parents. 

But  it  may  be  said,  '  The  children  of  Baptist 
parents  frequently  become  pious,  as  well  as  children 
who  have  been  baptized.' 

The  proportion  of  baptized  children  who  are 
converted,  is  more  striking  as  a  testimony  in  fa- 
vour of  Infant  Baptism,  than  the  conversion  of 
some  who  are  not  baptized,  is,  as  an  argument 
against  it.  God  will  perpetuate  his  churches,  we 
have  reason  to  hope,  mostly  by  the  children  of 
the  pious ;  now,  does  or  does  not  the  practice  of 
Infant  Baptism  tend  to  secure  this  end  ? 

'  What  profit  is  there  in  Infant  Baptism  ? '  '  Much 
every  way,'  as  I  have  endeavoured  to  show  in  the 
first  part  of  this  book,  and  chiefly,  because  that 
unto  the  children  who  receive  Baptism,  is  commit- 
ted an  oracle  of  God.  It  speaks  to  their  parents 
and  bids  them  be  faithful ;  it  speaks  through  the 
parents  to  the  children,  reminding  them  of  their 
early  consecration  ;  it  speaks  directly  to  the  chil- 
dren in  after  life,  and,  by  the  power  which  a  solemn 
act  of  dedication  has  upon  the  mind,  it  claims  them 
as  the  Lord's.  I  refer  to  the  testimony  of  Matthew 
Henry,  already  quoted,  upon  this  point,  and  to  the 


INFLUENCE     OF    INFANT    BAPTISM.  139 

memoirs  of  those  who  were  faithfully  taught  the 
meaning  and  obligations  of  their  Baptism.* 

If  the  children  who  are  not  baptized,  are  not 
converted  in  such  numbers  as  those  that  are,  the 
fact  will  seem  to  leave  an  impression  in  favour  of 
Infant  Baptism.  But  if  the  children  of  Baptist 
parents  are  frequently  converted,  it  is  wrong 
to  make  the  covenant  goodness  of  God  a  reason 
for  omitting  a  duty.  We  have  no  strict  ritual, 
in  Christianity,  in  which  a  ceremonial  omission  is 
immediately  and  obviously  punished. 

If  any  parents  rejoice  over  pious  children  who 
were  not  baptized  in  infancy,  we  are  persuaded  that 
they  might  have  more  joy  by  observing  this 
practice,  —  if  they  carried  out  its  meaning  and 
intention  into  faithful  and  holy  conduct.  Let  it 
not  be  understood  that  there  is  any  merit  in  baptiz- 
ing a  child,  or  in  being  baptized ;  think  not  to  say, 
in  a  presuming  spirit.  We,  or  our  children,  are  the 
children  of  the  covenant ;  this,  alone,  will  aggravate 
our  condemnation  ;  but  faithfully  prized  and  im- 
proved, it  will  be  as  much  a  means  of  propagating 
the  gospel  in  the  earth,  as  God  intended  that  his 
covenant  with  the  Jews  and  their  seed  should  be  of 
perpetuating  true  religion  in  the  world. 

Suppose  that  parents  had  suitable  feelings  at  the 
time  of  their  children's  Baptism,  and  afterward,  and 

*  See  "  Records  of  a  Good  Man's  Life." 


140  THE    BAPTIZED    CHILD. 

that  in  their  subsequent  treatment  of  them,  they 
should  act  upon  the  principles  which  have  now 
been  recommended ;  that  they  should  continually 
refer  to  the  Baptism  of  their  children  in  their 
prayers,  beseeching  God  now  to  fulfil  his  covenant, 
and  taking  hold  of  that  covenant  to  sustain  them 
in  importunate  prayer ;  that  they  should  regard 
their  children  as  those  to  whom  the  cause  of  God 
in  the  earth  looks  for  support  in  the  coming  gene- 
ration ;  that  they  should  frequently  remind  their 
children  that  they  have  been  consecrated  to  God 
the  Father,  Son,  and  Holy  Ghost ;  that  God  is 
therefore  willing  and  waiting  to  be  gracious  to 
them ;  that  they  are  sinning  against  infinite  good- 
ness, and  losing  great  blessings  by  neglecting  to 
choose  God  for  their  Portion,  —  and  thus,  by  using 
their  Baptism,  with  explanations  of  its  intention 
and  meaning,  fix  their  thoughts  definitely  upon 
God,  His  feelings  towards  them,  and  their  obliga- 
tions to  Him  : —  Would  not  the  parents  be  greatly 
assisted  in  the  religious  education,  and  in  the 
conversion,  of  their  children,  and  might  we  not 
hope  that  God  would  fulfil  that  promise,  Iivill  pour 
out  iiiy  Spirit  iipo7i  thy  seed,  and  my  blessing 
upon  thine  offspring  ?  This  promise  will  be  ful- 
filled, for  it  is  founded  on  a  natural  principle  —  The 
influence  of  the  parental  relation  in  perpetuating  right 
principles,  when  that  influence  is  sanctified.     God 


CONVERSION    OF    CHILDREN.  141 

will  use  this  principle,  as  in  ancient  times,  to  main- 
tain his  cause  in  the  earth.  We  must  always  bear 
this  in  mind,  amongst  our  devices  for  spreading  the 
truth.  Such  attention  must  be  paid  to  the  religious 
education  of  the  young,  and  such  labour  be 
bestowed  for  their  conversion,  as  will  be  requisite,  if 
the  proportion  of  the  friends  of  God  in  the  earth  is 
to  increase,  and  if  a  large  part  of  every  life  is  not 
to  be  spent  in  sin  and  the  perversion  and  waste  of 
physical  and  mental  strength. 

When  churches  are  composed  chiefly  of  those 
who  were  sanctified  early,  and  have  been  trained  up 
for  the  service  of  religion,  and  are  made  to  feel  the 
nature   and   meaning  of   their    Baptism,   we   may 
expect  that  the  moral  strength  of  the  church  will 
be  increased    tenfold.     Rapid  advances  will  then 
be  made  in  extending  the  kingdom  of  Christ.    The 
early   sanctification   of    the    youthful    mind   will 
prevent  many  of  the  dissensions  in  churches  that 
grow  out  of  old  natural  habits    and  prejudices  in 
those  who  were  too  stiff  to  be  pliable  when  they 
were   converted.     Then   it   shall   be   said   to    the 
♦Saviour,    Thou    hast    the    dew    of  thy   youth  ! 
Satan  has  it  now  ]  and  by  the  long  detention  of 
souls   in  his  service  before   they   begin   to    serve 
Christ,  a  great  proportion  of  zeal  and  energy  is  lost, 
or  rather,  is  used  against  Christ.     We  must  labour 
more  for  the  early  sanctification  of  children  if  we 
would  see  the  church  gain  upon  the  world.     To 
*13 


142  THE    BAPTIZED    CHILD. 

this  end,  the  Sabbath  school  is  a  useful  means ;  the 
preaching  of  the  gospel  familiarly  to  children  is  prof- 
itable ;  right  instruction  from  teachers  in  common 
schools  is  invaluable  ;  but  nothing  is  to  be  compared 
to  parental  mfluence. 

It  is  in  the  family,  that  God  will  chiefly  own  and 
bless  means  for  the  conversion  of  children.  The 
family  is  an  ordinance  of  God,  wisely  and  beauti- 
fully fitted  to  prepare  minds  to  serve  and  glorify 
God  in  his  kingdom  here,  and  forever.  Its 
incessant,  gentle,  noiseless  influence  is  like  that 
unseen  and  silent  power  of  vegetation  that  throws 
up  plants  and  flowers,  herbs  and  trees,  to  crown  the 
earth's  surface.  So,  when  the  family  influence  of 
the  church  is  what  it  should  be.  Truth  shall  spr^ing 
out  of  the  earth,  Righteousness  shall  look  down 
from  Heaven. 

Could  we  learn  the  great  truth  that  the  kingdom 
of  God  cometh  not  with  observation,  could  we  under- 
stand the  parable  of  the  leaven,  could  we  see  that 
God  intends  that  the  advancement  of  His  spiritual 
kingdom  shall  be  emblematized  by  His  kingdom  of 
nature,  whose  influences,  like  His  own  Omniscience 
and  Omnipresence,  are  as  still  and  secret  as  they 
are  great,  could  we  get  instruction  from  the  fact 
that  the  perfection  of  machinery  is  evinced  by  its 
noiseless  movement,  we  should  set  more  value  upon 
such  influences  as  those  of  a  Christian  family,  and 
less  upon    combinations   and   showy   methods   of 


A    NEW    ERA.  143 

doing  good.  Every  father  and  mother  might  then, 
by  influencing  their  children  aright,  do  more  to 
promote  the  reign  of  Heaven  than  we  can  describe. 
We  must  remember  that  pubhc  meetings  and  the 
Sabbath  school,  are  not  to  supersede,  or  interfere 
with  family  instruction,  but  are  intended  as  means 
to  promote  the  latter.  Instead  of  violent,  spasmodic 
seasons  of  efl'ort,  to  get  sinners  into  the  kingdom  of 
God,  large  numbers  of  well-instructed  and  disci- 
plined minds  will,  by  the  Spirit  of  God,  we  believe, 
be  brought  out  of  Christian  families  to  fill  the 
church,  and  promote  the  cause  of  Christ. 

Let  this  day  now  begin.  Let  Christian  parents 
carry  each  new-born  child  to  the  altar  of  God,  and 
consecrate  its  body,  soul,  and  spirit  to  Father,  Son, 
and  Holy  Ghost.  Let  them  carry  that  child  from 
Baptism  with  the  feelings  which  they  would  have 
if  God,  by  a  special  message,  had  placed  it  in  their 
hands  to  be  trained  up  for  Him.  Let  them  think 
what  was  implied  in  the  Baptism  of  their  children, 
if  they  have  others  who  have  already  been  dedicated 
to  God.  Let  them  watch  the  first  opening  thoughts 
of  the  child  to  shed  in  the  influences  of  truth  and 
goodness ;  let  them  so  teach  it  obedience  and 
submission  as  not  to  prepare  it  in  after  life  to  resist 
the  Holy  Ghost ;  let  them  impress  the  meaning 
of  its  Baptism  upon  its  mind,  and  lead  it  to 
recognize  the  consecration  which  was  made  of  it  in 
infancy. 


144  THE     BAPTIZED    CHILD. 

Then,  by  the  blessing  of  God,  we  shall  see  a 
generation  prepared  for  the  scenes  of  the  latter  day. 
Perhaps  the  parents  of  this  generation  are  to  educate 
the  actors  in  those  scenes!  A  holy  and  blessed 
work  is  before  us.  Christianity  is  to  be  spread 
throughout  the  earth.  All  nations  are  to  be  bap- 
tized in  the  name  of  the  Father,  the  Son,  and  the 
Holy  Ghost.  Let  us  bring  our  children  to  the  House 
of  God,  and  by  the  sign  of  separation  to  the  Christian 
faith,  lay  upon  them  the  bonds  of  the  covenant, 
and  upon  ourselves  the  obligation  to  make  ready  a 
people  prepared  for  the  Lord. 

Does  a  Christian  parent  need  anything  to  make 
him  faithful  in  discharging  his  whole  duty  to  his 
child  ?  Then  consider  that  eternity  is  before  you, 
and  that,  amongst  the  thoughts  which  will  be  most 
present  to  your  mind  in  the  revolution  of  eternal 
years,  no  one  will  probably  come  to  you  with  such 
power  as  this,  I  am  the  parent  of  an  immortal 
SOUL !  Where  is  that  soul !  See  it,  in  company 
with  angelic  choirs !  Hear  it ;  it  has  washed  its 
robes  and  made  them  white  in  the  blood  of  the 
Lamb,  and  the  song  of  Heaven  is  on  its  tongue. 
Around  it,  are  some  who  bless  it  as  the  instrument 
in  their  salvation.  It  is  an  honour  to  be  the  parent 
of  a  glorified  spirit ! 

See  two  parents  ascending  '  the  heavenly  plains,' 
with  a  whole  family  of  redeemed  children !     God 


SCENES    IN    ETERNITY.  145 

only   can  measure  the  joy  and  transport  of  their 
hearts. 

Another  spirit  appears  from  amongst  the  ranks  of 
Heaven,  with  a  calm,  submissive  look.  Its  children 
are  not  amongst  the  spirits  of  the  just ;  its  children 
think  of  it,  in  their  abode,  on  which  the  light  of  the 
celestial  city  gleams  afar,  and  its  surging  music 
rolls  and  dies ;  and  one  of  them  says  to  another, 
If  our  parent  had  been  faithful  with  us,  we  might 
not  have  come  unto  this  place  of  torment  ! 

O  God,  may  we  baptize  our  children  in  the  name 
of  the  Father,  the  Son,  and  the  Holy  Ghost  I 
Precious,  inestimable  privilege,  that  seals  to  them 
thy  covenant,  helps  us  in  fitting  them  for  Heaven, 
and,  with  bonds  of  love,  holds  them  to  thy  service 
and  throne.  May  we  prize  this  liberty  as  a  means 
of  our  future  joy,  in  being  surrounded  at  last  with 
our  offspring  in  Heaven.  May  no  child  of  ours 
lie  down  in  sorrow,  with  the  name  of  his  God, 
Saviour,  and  Sanctifier,  inscribed  upon  him. 
May  none  of  us,  who  have  presented  a  child  at  thine 
altar  for  this  inscription,  reflect  upon  our  conduct 
here  as  the  cause  of  the  child's  perdition,  nor,  in 
eternal  bereavement  of  those  whom  we  love,  feel 
that  resignation  and  submission  must  chiefly  con- 
stitute for  us  the  happiness  of  Heaven.  Let  the 
family  circle  there  be  full ;  and  as  Jehovah  passes 
by,  in  the  special  manifestations  of  His  presence,  and 


146  THE    BAPTIZED    CHILD. 

smiles  upon  our  household  in  the  fullness  of  their 
joy,  may  we,  in  participation  of  that  joy  which 
He  himself  feels  at  the  sight  of  His  own  holy  and 
happy  offspring,   cry,  Here,  Lord,   are  we,  and 

THE  CHILDREN  WHOM  THOU  HAST  GIVEN  US. 


Date  Due 

nr5-'M 

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.....Jt^^ 

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^g»H«**^ 

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f 

1 

